Technetium-99m BIDA biliary scintigraphy in the evaluation of the jaundiced patient.

Biliary scintigraphy using 99mTc p-butyl acetanilidiminodiacetic acid (BIDA) was performed as part of the diagnostic evaluation on 96 patients with jaundice (serum bilirubin greater than 2 mg/dl) to assess its value in this group of patients. The results of scintigraphy revealed no obstruction to the flow of the scintigraphic agent into the duodenum in 54 patients, delayed appearance of the agent (normal upper limit 60 min) in the duodenum indicating partial obstruction in 22 patients, and complete obstruction of the duct demonstrated by absence of agent in the duodenum in 20 patients. The findings were correlated with the final diagnosis and the overall results show accuracy of 92.7%, sensitivity of 97.3%, and specificity of 89.8%. Biliary scintigraphy was thus found to be useful in differentiating nonobstructive, partially obstructive, and completely obstructive causes of jaundice.

COTA (colon-ovarian tumor antigen). An immunohistochemical study.

A goat anti-serum was prepared against mucinous ovarian cyst fluid and absorbed with normal colon and a variety of normal tissues until the only residual immunoreactivity was directed against colon cancer and ovarian tumor mucin. The set of antigenic determinants defined by this anti-serum has been called COTA, standing for colon-ovarian-tumor-antigen. This highly absorbed anti-serum (anti-COTA) was used for immunohistochemical staining of 42 different tissues in parallel with staining with a goat anti-CEA, which was also highly absorbed. The results suggest that COTA is a highly sensitive and specific antigen for colon carcinoma and may have potential for the early detection of malignant changes predictive of cancer of the colon.

Adenomyomatosis of the gallbladder.

Adenomyomatosis of the gallbladder is an entity that is being recognized increasingly, chiefly by radiologists. The pathogenesis, pathology, and indications for surgery are not well understood. This report is a study of 27 patients seen in the last 6 years, all of whom had proved histologic features. Patients ranged from 21 to 72 years of age, with a preponderance of women. Thirteen patients had no gallstones. The disease was confined to the fundus in 15 patients, to the neck in one patient, and was generalized in 11 patients. Bile cultures were obtained in the last six consecutive patients and all were negative. Histologically there was evidence of thickening of the gallbladder wall, glandular elements in the mucosa, and invagination of glands into the muscularis. The clinical, radiological, and pathologic features supported a hyperplastic and degenerative disorder which should be distinguished from cholecystitis. Associated with these morphologic changes is a dyskinesia similar to that seen in diverticular disease of the colon. Follow-up studies after cholecystectomy have shown that over 90 percent of all patients were completely relieved of symptoms. Adenomyomatosis should be identified as a distinct entity, probably of a degenerative nature. Cholecystectomy is indicated and beneficial when the symptoms suggest biliary tract diseases.

Thyroidography in evaluation of thyroid disease.

Thyroidography was performed in 53 patients with various thyroid disorders. In ten patients with hyperthyroidism, the procedure showed the size of the gland and the presence of nodules not suspected clinically or by scanning. It also demonstrated noticeable lymphadenopathy and lymphovenous communications. In nine patients with malignant disease of the thyroid, the pattern of contrast distribution within the gland was distinct from normal and was diagnostic. In addition, involvement of the regional lymph nodes by tumor was identified in three patients. The technique was useful in exclusion of malignant disease in two patients suspected of having cancer of the thyroid. In 26 patients with single thyroid nodules or with multinodular glands studied by this method, 19 were found to have cystic lesions and the other seven solid lesions. These results were compared with scintiscanning and ultrasonography. Based on this data, the technique seems to be useful in evaluation of thyroid disease.

The surgical implications of herniation of the urinary bladder.

The urinary bladder is often involved in an inguinal hernia, but herniation of the entire bladder into the scrotum is rare. As many as 4% of inguinal hernias may involve the bladder, usually in the form of a sliding hernia. Most urinary bladder herniations are diagnosed at the time of inguinal herniorrhaphy, and are therefore most commonly repaired through an inguinal incision. If the diagnosis requires amendment, alternative surgical approaches are available. We studied two patients with massive inguinoscrotal herniation of the urinary bladder, commonly referred to as "scrotal cystocele." We reviewed the literature, incidence, causes, diagnosis, and surgical consideration of herniation of the urinary bladder, and gave particular attention to the interrelationship of bladder herniations with inguinal hernias.

Pseudolymphoma of the stomach. A diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma.

Pseudolymphoma is an uncommon benign lesion of the stomach that poses a difficult problem in diagnosis and management. The clinical manifestations and endoscopic, radiologic, and biopsy findings are not generally helpful in making this diagnosis preoperatively. Histologic examination of the lesion is the only reliable method that distinguishes pseudolymphoma from true lymphoma. Distinguishing histologic features of pseudolymphomas are (1) formation of true germinal centers, (2) presence of a polymorphous inflammatory infiltrate, and (3) absence of lymph nodal involvement by lymphoma. We report four cases and review the literature to illustrate the features of pseudolymphoma. Subtotal gastric resection is done for diagnostic as well as for therapeutic purposes. Distinction of these benign lesions from malignant lymphomas is important so that unnecessary radical surgery and postoperative radiation therapy or chemotherapy are avoided.

Myelolipoma of adrenal.

A case of a forty-six-year-old woman with an adrenal myelolipoma on the left side is reported. The presenting complaint was pain, and investigation revealed a large, relatively avascular nonfunctioning tumor of the left adrenal. This rare (ninth reported instance of surgical removal) tumor is briefly reviewed.

Systemic effects of hypernephroma.

In a study of 30 patients with hypernephromas, 23 patients manifested systemic effects of the tumor, and in 5 of these, the systemic effects were the presenting feature that led to the diagnosis. In contrast to this, only 17 patients had urologic complaints, and no single patient in this study had the classic triad of hematurial, loin pain, and mass. Weight loss (52 per cent), pyrexia, and elevated sedimentation rate (36 per cent) were seen most frequently. Anemia was seen in 25 per cent of patients. Other features seen in this group wer abnormalities in liver function, elevated alkaline phosphatase, hypertension, erythrocytosis, and hypercalcemia. In the majority of instances, removal of tumor was associated with remission of these effects. The effects were classified as those of a general toxic nature, those due to normal or abnormal production of hormones, and those due to production of abnormal substances by tumor cells. The evaluation of these effects was useful in making an early diagnosis and in follow-up care.

Evaluation of biliary disease by scintigraphy.

The value of biliary scintigraphy was studied in 180 patients with suspected biliary tract disease. Scintigraphy was performed after intravenous injection of technetium-99m labelled (1) N-substituted iminodiacetic acid derivative (HIDA) in 91 patients, and (2) butyl derivative of iminodiacetic acid (BIDA) in 89 patients. Most of the patients were investigated additionally by conventional techniques such as cholecystography, cholangiography and ultrasonography. It is concluded that biliary scintigraphy is a simple and safe technique for visualization of the biliary tract. It is particularly useful in the evaluation of acute cholecystitis, in patients with iodine sensitivity requiring imaging of biliary tract, and in the differentiation of obstructive from nonobstructive jaundice. Its value in kinetic disturbances of the gallbladder and in quantitative evaluation of hepatobiliary function needs further study.

Thyroidography as a technique for localization of parathyroid adenomas.

Thyroidography was performed in seven patients with hyperparathyroidism. The technique accurately localized parathyroid adenomas in six patients. It was not useful in the patient with hyperplasia of the glands due to secondary hyperparathyroidism. There were no recognizable complications. Thyroidography is a simple technique, and we feel that it is useful in preoperative evaluation of patients with hyperparathyroidism.

Scintiscanning in the evaluation of biliary enteric anastomoses.

The evaluation of symptomatic patients who have undergone biliary enteric anastomoses, particularly when the diversion was into the jejunum, is difficult. Conventional techniques for evaluation, such as oral cholecystography (OCG), intravenous cholangiography (IVC), ultrasonography (US), computer-assisted tomography scanning (CT scanning), or endoscopy are not adequate to provide definitive information on the patency of the anastomoses. Hepatobiliary scintiscanning using 99mTc-HIDA and BIDA (iminodiacetic acid derivatives) was performed on 12 patients. The patients were from 11 to 72 years of age and included ten men and two women. The scan results were correlated with US, CT scan, percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC), operative findings, and final diagnosis. Scanning was highly accurate in this group and could be performed successfully even in jaundiced patients (total serum bilirubin level up to 20.0 mg/dl). In patients in whom dilated bile ducts were demonstrated (by US, CT scan, or scintiscan), only the scintiscan revealed the true patency of the anastomoses. The advantages of the technique are that it is simple and noninvasive. Delayed transit of bile (scanning agent) to bowel is a very reliable indication of partial or complete obstruction. Scintiscanning is the only technique that demonstrated the functional state of biliary secretion and excretion into bowel in patients with previous biliary enteric anastomoses.

Amylase isoenzymes in the evaluation of trauma patients.

In traumatized patients, elevation of the levels of serum amylase is often noted and may lead to a diagnosis of pancreatitis or pancreatic injury. In the presence of multiple injuries, it is often difficult to evaluate clinically for pancreatitis or pancreatic injury. Since the serum amylase is derived from both the pancreatic and the salivary glands, it is useful to determine the origin of the elevated levels of serum amylase in these patients. A total of 31 patients including 21 trauma patients were studied, and the total serum amylase and also the pancreatic (P) and salivary (S) fractions were determined by isoelectric focusing. Compared with the normal control group, most trauma victims had elevated total amylase levels (normal, 30-128 U). In six patients with head and facial trauma, the P-fraction was 7.6 per cent, and the S-fraction was 92.4 per cent (normal, P 35-50%; S 50-65%), while in six patients with penetrating abdominal trauma, the P-fraction was 81 per cent, and the S-fraction was 19 per cent. These differences were statistically significant. The data demonstrate the value of measuring fractions of amylase in addition to total amylase levels. In patients with head and facial trauma alone, elevated levels of serum amylase are due to an increase in the salivary fraction. Elevation of total serum amylase in traumatized patients does not necessarily indicate pancreatic injury. Measurements of amylase fractions were thus useful in evaluation of trauma patients.

Surgical treatment of acute cholecystitis.

A study of the results of surgical treatment of patients with acute cholecystitis showed that cholecystectomy is a safe procedure for the majority of patients during their initial hospitalization and avoids the risk of recurrent attacks and readmissions. Cholecystostomy has a limited place in the treatment of older patients with systemic disease and advanced local disease. Early aggressive management of acute cholecystitis will probably reduce complications of cholecystitis and reduce the need for cholecystostomy.

Factors influencing morbidity and mortality in perforated duodenal ulcer.

The overall mortality and morbidity rates in 124 patients with perforated duodenal ulcer from 1968 to 1978 were 9.6 per cent and 28 per cent. The only factors which directly affected the patient's outcome were 1) age of the patient (high mortality in older patients) and 2) the time interval from onset of symptoms caused by perforation to the time of the operation (the longer the interval, the more likely the complications). No improvement in mortality and morbidity figures was seen in the past decade.

Management of gastrocolic fistula.

The authors present 13 patients with gastrocolic, gastrojejunocolic, or duodenocolic fistula, the majority of which were complications of peptic ulcer disease or its treatment. In contrast to previous reports, these patients were not severely anemic, dehydrated, or malnourished at time of presentation. Pain, fecal emesis, and diarrhea were the most common presenting symptoms. Half of the patients waited more than two weeks before seeking treatment. Barium enema and upper gastrointestinal series were equally useful in making the diagnosis in this study. When the patient was adequately prepared, one-stage operations could be performed safely in most situations. Operation may not be necessary or advisable in patients with metastatic malignant disease with minimal symptoms relating to fistulization.

Disorders of gallbladder function related to duodenogastric reflux in technetium-99m DISIDA hepatobiliary scintigraphy.

Controversy exists over the relation between gallbladder dysfunction and the propensity for duodenogastric reflux. To evaluate this, Tc-99m DISIDA hepatobiliary imaging studies in 120 patients were reviewed, excluding patients who had had cholecystectomy or subtotal gastrectomy before scintigraphy. Serial images were obtained at 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes and up to 24 hours, if indicated, after intravenous injection of 5-10 mCi of Tc-99m DISIDA. Normally, the liver, bile ducts, gallbladder, common bile duct, and bowel are visualized sequentially. Reversal of the normal sequence of gallbladder (GB) and bowel visualization indicates GB dysfunction; nonvisualization of the GB reflects cystic duct obstruction or absent GB function. Duodenogastric reflux is identified by radiotracer localized in the area just below or immediately adjacent to the tip of the left hepatic lobe. The intragastric location of the tracer may be verified by oral administration of 300 uCi of Tc-99m sulfur colloid. Twenty-nine patients had duodenogastric reflux between 10 and 60 minutes after injection. Of the 29 patients, 22 had a nonvisualized gallbladder, four had reversal of appearance of GB and bowel activity, and three had a normal study. GB dysfunction or nonfunction is more frequently demonstrated when duodenogastric reflux is present than with normal gallbladder function (P less than 0.001). In conclusion, gallbladder malfunction is closely associated with duodenogastric reflux, an abnormality that may be diagnosed noninvasively by Tc-99m DISIDA hepatobiliary scintigraphy.

The value of scintigraphy in the diagnosis of biliary disease.

Scintigraphy was performed on 180 patients with suspected biliary tract disease using technetium-99m-labelled derivatives of iminodiacetic acid. Most of the patients were also evaluated by conventional techniques and the results were correlated with the findings at operation and with histological examination of tissue removed whenever indicated. The technique was very accurate in the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis. In chronic cholecystitis it was useful in the diagnosis only when the cystic duct was obstructed. Scintigraphy has no value in the diagnosis of gallstones. However, it permits visualisation of the biliary tract even in the presence of jaundice and is useful in distinguishing obstructive from non-obstructive types of jaundice.