[Diffusion of smoking habit in the commune of Florence in 1989]. / Diffusione dell'abitudine al fumo nel comune di Firenze nel 1989.

The results of a study on smoking habits of Florence inhabitants (14 years of age or more) are reported. A random sample of general population of the town (1744 males and 1977 females) was recruited throughout the registration office and interviewed by mail or telephone. General compliance was approximately 85%. Thirty-seven percent of males and 25% of females were current cigarette smokers, 29% of males and 11% of females were ex smokers. Males were heavier smokers both as concerns duration of the habit and daily amount of cigarettes. In males born after 1930 the smoking prevalence decreased gradually by period of birth, while it increased in females born before 1960. As a result the smoking habits of younger cohorts were similar in males and in females. In each sex age-adjusted smoking prevalence showed important differences by educational groups and in respect to national averages.

[Role of magnetic resonance in the staging of endometrial carcinoma]. / Ruolo della Risonanza Magnetica nella stadiazione del carcinoma endometriale.

Biopsy is the technique of choice for the definitive diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma. Since lymphatic tumor spread has been demonstrated to depend on the degree of myometrial involvement, the definition of the latter with imaging techniques may significantly affect both prognosis and therapy. We investigated, by means of MR imaging at 0.5 T, 14 patients with endometrial carcinoma, to assess both tumor stage and myometrial involvement. FIGO staging system was employed, and M parameter evaluated (M0 = no myometrial involvement; M1 = involvement confined to the inner third; M2 = involvement confined to the middle third; M3 = involvement of the whole myometrium). Another parameter was the characteristic high signal of the tumor on PD and T2W images. The patients were then operated and MR information was correlated with surgical findings. Overall diagnostic accuracy of MR imaging was 85.7% in tumor staging, and 92.2% in defining M parameter. Tumor spread into adnexa and into cervical canal was poorly demonstrated by MR imaging.

[Reliability of computerized tomography in the definition of the "N" parameter in the preoperative evaluation of primary bronchopulmonary tumors]. / Affidabilità della tomografia computerizzata nella definizione del parametro "N" nella valutazione preoperatoria del tumore primitivo broncopolmonare.

In order to evaluate the reliability of thoraco-mediastinal CT in the preoperative evaluation of primary lung cancer, regarding "N" (lymph nodes) parameter, we compared CT data with those obtained at histopathology of mediastinal lymph nodes. We re-examined 130 patients who had undergone lobectomy or pneumonectomy combined with mediastinal node dissection. CT criterion of neoplastic nodal involvement is morphological, based on size of the node as related to its location. CT is very sensitive in evaluating both normal and pathological nodes but not likewise specific; in fact, it does not allow differential diagnosis between neoplastic and phlogistic causes. This limitation must be kept in mind in the preoperative evaluation of the "N" parameter. Moreover, CT findings of mediastinal involvement on the opposite side (N3) must be confirmed with mediastinoscopy or CT-guided biopsy before ruling radical surgery out.

[CT-guided percutaneous fine-needle biopsy in the histological characterization of mediastinal-pulmonary lesions]. / La biopsia percutanea con ago sottile TC-guidata nella tipizzazione istologica delle lesioni mediastino-polmonari.

CT-guided percutaneous fine-needle biopsy (FNB) is the method of choice in the histological characterization of mediastinum and lung lesions in which a diagnosis could not be reached through noninvasive methods such as cytology of the sputum, or biopsy during bronchoscopy. FNB represents an alternative to diagnostic thoracotomy: it is, in fact, less invasive, it can be carried out with no need for hospitalization, and has a low incidence of complications. FNB diagnostic accuracy is very high, as our results prove: accuracy 89.6%, sensitivity 87.6% and specificity 98%. Our series includes 419 percutaneous fine-needle biopsies.

Magnetic resonance imaging and high-resolution computed tomography in tumors of the lung and the mediastinum.

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and high resolution computed tomography (CT) have been compared in 37 patients who had expansive processes of the lung and the mediastinum. MR imaging and CT scanning gave identical results in 32 patients; in 5 patients, CT scanning has proved more useful in evaluating the stag e of primary lung tumors. MR imaging often gives more information about the actual size of the tumor, and the involvement of close structures, although it does not modify staging of the tumor. MR imaging has the advantage to differentiate hilar adenopathy from blood vessel structures. Evaluation of T2 relaxing time (that we have performed in the same location of thin-needle biopsy aspiration), however, did not prove to be of diagnostic significance; this indicates that MR imaging at the moment is not suitable for tissue typification.