The British journal of radiology
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27 patients were studied with real-time ultrasound following severe scrotal trauma. 22 (81.5%) had ultrasound features of scrotal trauma and, of these, five (18.5%) had signs of testicular rupture. Four of these five patients underwent surgery following ultrasound. This confirmed the diagnosis of rupture and the tests were repaired. Ultrasound should be offered to all patients presenting with scrotal trauma to select patients with testicular rupture for surgery.
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Selective uptake of radiolabelled meta-iodobenzylguanidine (mIBG) in neuroblastoma provides a possible approach to biologically targeted radiotherapy of this disease. A mathematical model was used to predict absorbed doses to tumours of varying size from therapeutic 131I-mIBG, based on measurements of 125I-mIBG uptake in surgically excised tumours from six patients. Two size categories of tumour target were considered: bulk tumour and microscopic disease. ⋯ The analysis shows that the probability of tumour cure depends strongly on mIBG uptake, effective half-life of mIBG in tumour and tumour diameter. Small microtumours may be relatively resistant to mIBG treatment owing to the limited absorption of 131I beta-energy. The product of patient mass and percentage uptake per unit mass of tumour may be a useful indicator of therapeutic outcome when targeted radiotherapy is used for the treatment of paediatric tumours.
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Case Reports
Silicone implant to prevent visceral damage during adjuvant radiotherapy for retroperitoneal sarcoma.
The incidence of local recurrence after surgery for retroperitoneal sarcoma is reduced by high-dose adjuvant radiotherapy but treatment is restricted by the effects of irradiation on adjacent viscera. By securing a silicone gel-filled implant (breast prosthesis) in the tumour bed after excision of the tumour, adjacent viscera are displaced from the site of maximum irradiation and may thereby be protected. ⋯ Both cases underwent further surgery at which the implant was removed. The same two cases also developed asymptomatic hydronephrosis on the side of the implant, attributed to local fibrosis.