Acta Medica Port
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Neuroepithelial cysts, heterogeneous group of lesions, are fluid collections similar to CSF, lined by epithelial cells, frequently found in the lateral ventricles and choroidal fissure; intraparenchymal cysts are relatively uncommon. We report CT and MRI imaging findings of four intraparenchymal neuroepithelial cysts, two of which have histological confirmation of the diagnosis.
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Prostate cancer is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. In Portugal alone, according to a study published in 2003, the rate of new prostate cancer cases were 53 per 100,000 men (in 2000), with an age-standardized mortality rate of about 28 per 100,000 (in 1995). Multiple bone metastases are one of the major complications of advanced prostate cancer. Samarium-EDTMP showed to be a safe and effective alternative for palliative treatment of bone metastases. The goal of this economic study is to assess the cost-effectiveness of Samarium-153-EDTMP for the treatment of pain due to multiple bone metastases in hormone-refractory prostate cancer versus conventional pain therapy, in Portugal. ⋯ Samarium-153-EDTMP was not only a very effective therapeutic option but also an option with less cost than the conventional pain therapy, in patients with pain due to multiple bone metastases, in Portugal.
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For elective surgeries over ordering of blood is a common practice. The goal of the Maximum Surgical Blood Order Schedule (MSBOS) is to promote efficient use of blood. ⋯ As in other Blood Banks, the differences are more evident in the situations in which the need for blood is very small, the so called Type and Screen. MSBOS should be re-evaluated regularly because of operative environment such as surgeons, operative methods, haemostatic drugs and preoperative conditions of patients can change.
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To identify and evaluate the Psychometric validity of the two general dimensions of the Short Form (SF)-36 Portuguese version. ⋯ The use of the two SF-36 summary measures, physical and mental health, allows us to analyse the results more efficiently without loss of information and capture different manifestations of health status.
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Although classically considered to be involved only in motor coordination, the cerebellum has more recently been implicated also in cognitive control. Anatomical studies have shown the cerebellum to be linked to pre-frontal, occipito-parietal and temporal cortical associative areas, as well as to the limbic system, in a closed loop circuit. Functional studies revealed activation of the cerebellum during performance on cognitive tasks not related to movement. ⋯ Functional imaging studies although useful to investigate directly in the human model and in real time, are not yet able to completely isolate cerebellar cognitive and behavioural functions. Degenerative and developmental disorders are not the most adequate model for studying cerebellar influence on higher mental functions, as they affect other regions besides the cerebellum. Young patients with isolated cerebellar stroke provide a useful clinical model for investigating cerebellar cognitive functions, because they permit to isolate in space and time the specific contribution of the cerebellum to the cognitive deficits.