RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The value of ultrasound (US) in assessing gastrointestinal diseases is well documented, but its demand in clinical practice is unknown. This survey evaluated the demand for bowel US in Italy. METHODS: Twelve sonographers of the Gastroenterology Section of the Italian Society of Ultrasound participated in a 1-month survey; they compiled a questionnaire assessing total number of patients referred for abdominal US and for gastrointestinal tract US, type of referring physician, indications and results of examinations. RESULTS: The survey included 2424 examinations, 586 of which (24%) investigated the gastrointestinal tract: 280 for signs or symptoms and 268 for follow-up of pre-existing gastrointestinal diseases. Referring physicians were mainly gastroenterologists (78%) and general practitioners (13%). Organic lesions were found or suspected in 292 examinations. CONCLUSIONS: Bowel US is used in Italy in routine practice, mainly by gastroenterologists and general practitioners, both for follow-up of pre-existing diseases and for gastrointestinal complaints.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedades Gastrointestinales/diagnóstico por imagen , Intestinos/diagnóstico por imagen , Derivación y Consulta/estadística & datos numéricos , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Niño , Femenino , Gastroenterología/estadística & datos numéricos , Médicos Generales/estadística & datos numéricos , Encuestas de Atención de la Salud , Humanos , Italia , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Valor Predictivo de las Pruebas , Sensibilidad y Especificidad , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , UltrasonografíaRESUMEN
This case is a report of a male, 52 year old, heavy smoker, with a history of about 10 years of alcohol abuse (he quitted in 1993), gastric resection for ulcer (Billroth II 1970), hypoparathyroidism and macroamylasemia, died for undiagnosed pancreatic carcinoma revealed at necroscopy. The only clinical evidence of carcinoma were pulmonary metastasis and paraneoplastic syndrome characterized from hyponatriemia due to inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone and elevation of seric calcium caused by parathyroid hormone related protein. In patients without endocrine abnormalities, such unusual paraneoplastic syndrome could cause hypercalcemia, but in our patient, the increased calcemia did not reach abnormal levels due to the previous hypoparathyroidism. At present time, there are no clinical reports of parathyroid related protein secretion by pancreatic carcinoma and therefore, it could speculate that this modification together with ectopic secretion of antidiuretic hormone, represent a peculiar evidence of otherwise unknown and undetectable pancreatic carcinoma.
