SoC CMOS UWB Pulse Radar Sensor for Contactless Respiratory Rate Monitoring

An ultra wideband (UWB) system-on-chip radar sensor for respiratory rate monitoring has been realized in 90 nm CMOS technology and characterized experimentally. The radar testchip has been applied to the contactless detection of the respiration activity of adult and baby. The field operational tests demonstrate that the UWB radar sensor detects the respiratory rate of person under test (adult and baby) associated with sub-centimeter chest movements, allowing the continuous-time non-invasive monitoring of hospital patients and other people at risk of obstructive apneas such as babies in cot beds, or other respiratory diseases.

Extranodal Rosai-Dorfman disease of bone and nose: a case report and review of literature

Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is a rare benign condition of unknown origin, which was first described in 1969. By histopathology, the disease is composed of sinusoidal lymph node hyperplasia and abundant histiocytes with haemophagocytosis, particularly lymphocytes. It commonly affects lymph nodes, and rarely has an exclusively extra-nodal clinical presentation. Among the so-called "extranodal" sites, the head and neck region, and in particular the nose and paranasal sinuses, are frequently affected. RDD shows a highly variable clinical course that can be partly modified by medical therapy. We present of a case of extra-nodal RDD, with nasal and osseous involvement, which has been followed-up for 19 years. We also discuss its presentation, the most relevant radiographic findings, treatment options and histological findings.

Wearable monitoring of lumbar spine curvature by inertial and e-textile sensory fusion

This paper describes the design, the development and the preliminary testing of a wearable system able perform a real time estimation of the local curvature and the length of the spine lumbar arch. The system integrate and fuse information gathered from textile based piezoresistive sensor arrays and tri-axial accelerometers. E-textile strain sensing garments suffer from non-linearities, hysteresis and long transient, while accelerometers, used as inclinometers, present biased values and are affected by the system acceleration due to subject movements. In this work, focused on the wearability and comfort of the user, we propose a fusion of the information deriving from the two class of sensors to reduce their intrinsic errors affecting measurements. Comparative evaluation of system performances with stereophotogrammetric techniques shows a 2% error in lumbar arch length reconstruction.

Wearable system-on-a-chip UWB radar for contact-less cardiopulmonary monitoring: present status

The present status of the project aimed at the realization of an innovative wearable system-on-chip UWB radar for the cardiopulmonary monitoring is presented. The overall system consists of a wearable wireless interface including a fully integrated UWB radar for the detection of the heart beat and breath rates, and a IEEE 802.15.4 ZigBee low-power radio interface. The principle of operation of the UWB radar for the monitoring of the heart wall is summarized. With respect to the prior art, this paper reports the results of the experimental characterization of the intra-body channel loss, which has been carried out successfully in order to validate the theoretical model employed for the radar system analysis. Moreover, the main building blocks of the radar have been manufactured in 90 nm CMOS technology by ST-Microelectronics and the relevant performance are resulted in excellent agreement with those expected by post-layout simulations.

Wearable system-on-a-chip radiometer for remote temperature sensing and its application to the safeguard of emergency operators

The remote sensing and the detection of events that may represent a danger for human beings have become more and more important thanks to the latest advances of the technology. A microwave radiometer is a sensor capable to detect a fire or an abnormal increase of the internal temperature of the human body (hyperthermia), or an onset of a cancer, or even meteorological phenomena (forest fires, pollution release, ice formation on road pavement). In this paper, the overview of a wearable low-cost low-power system-on-a-chip (SoaC) 13 GHz passive microwave radiometer in CMOS 90 nm technology is presented. In particular, we focused on its application to the fire detection for civil safeguard. In detail, this sensor has been thought to be inserted into the fireman jacket in order to help the fireman in the detection of a hidden fire behind a door or a wall. The simulation results obtained by Ptolemy system simulation have confirmed the feasibility of such a SoaC microwave radiometer in a low-cost standard silicon technology for temperature remote sensing and, in particular, for its application to the safeguard of emergency operators.

Wearable microwave radiometers for remote fire detection: System-on-Chip (SoC) design and proof of the concept

The paper reports the present status of the project aimed at the realization of a wearable low-cost low-power System-on-Chip (SoC) 13-GHz passive microwave radiometer in CMOS 90 nm technology. This sensor has been thought to be inserted into the firemen jacket in order to help them in the detection of a hidden fire behind a door or a wall, especially where the IR technology fail. With respect of the prior art, the SoC is further developed and a proof of the concept is provided by means of a discrete-component prototype.

Value of image fusion in the staging of prostatic carcinoma

PURPOSE

We assessed the value of image fusion in the staging of prostatic cancer in a series of 32 patients who underwent preoperative evaluation with transrectal colour-Doppler ultrasonography (TRUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Colour-Doppler TRUS exams were performed using a 7.5-MHz biplanar probe. MRI exams were done with a scanner operating at 1.5 Tesla (T) using an endorectal coil. All patients underwent radical prostatectomy within 2 weeks from the imaging assessment. Whole-mount sections were prepared from the surgical specimens and were subsequently digitised by using a high-resolution scanner. The Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) TRUS and MR images as well as the digitised pathological images were transferred to a graphic workstation to perform image fusion.

RESULTS

Image fusion was technically possible in 25/32 cases in which axial TRUS images were available. The following fusion images were obtained: TRUS + pathological sections; MRI + pathological sections; TRUS + MRI + pathological sections. The final pathological staging concerning the T status was: four pT2b, fourteen pT2c, three pT3a and four pT3b. The three types of image fusion led to the following results: TRUS + pathological sections, correct staging in 20/25 cases (accuracy 80%); MRI + pathological sections, correct staging in 22/25 cases (accuracy 88%); TRUS + MRI + pathological sections, correct staging in 23/25 cases (accuracy 92%).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that by using image fusion between colour-Doppler TRUS and endorectal MRI, it is possible to improve the accuracy of pathological staging in patients who are candidates for radical prostatectomy.

Artificial kinesthetic systems for telerehabilitation

Artificial sensory motor systems are now under development in a truly wearable form using an innovative technology based on electroactive polymers. The integration of electroactive polymeric materials into wearable garments endorses them with strain sensing and mechanical actuation properties. The methodology underlying the design of haptic garments has necessarily to rely on knowledge of biological perceptual and motor processes which is, however, scattered and fragmented. Notwithstanding, the combined use of new polymeric electroactive materials in the form of fibers and fabrics with emerging concepts of biomimetic nature in sensor data analysis, pseudomuscular actuator control and biomechanical design may not only provide new avenues toward the realization of truly wearable kinesthetic and haptic interfaces, but also clues and instruments to better comprehend human manipulative and gestual functions. In this talk the conception, early stage implementation and preliminary testing of a fabric-based wearable interface endowed with spatially redundant strain sensing and distributed actuation are illustrated with reference to a wearable upper limb artificial kinesthesia system, intended to be used in telerehabilitation of post stroke patient.

Strain sensing fabric for hand posture and gesture monitoring

Monitoring body kinematics and analyzing posture and gesture is an area of major importance in bioengineering and several other connected disciplines such as rehabilitation, sport medicine and ergonomics. Recent developments of new smart materials consent the realization of a new generation of garments with distributed sensors. What we present here is a sensing glove able to detect the posture and movements of the hand.

Rare case of inflammatory fibrous polyp of the esophagus

Esophageal inflammatory fibrous polyps are extremely rare benign neoplasms. The manuscript illustrates a case of a man complaining of pyrosis and gastroesophageal reflux symptoms. Diagnostic work-up showed an expansive lesion of the distal esophagus simulating malignancy but with negative, repeated, multiple biopsies. The considerable size of the lesion, and the suspicion of a malignant tumor because of the presence of ulceration, indicated esophagectomy with extensive lymphadenectomy and intrathoracic esophagogastroplasty. The diagnosis of inflammatory polyp of the esophagus was achieved postoperatively. The Discussion deals with a review of the literature and considers the performed operation a good choice considering the hypothesis of a malign neoplastic evolution of this lesion.

Churg-Strauss syndrome: clinical and serological features of 19 patients from a single Italian centre

OBJECTIVE

Churg-Strauss syndrome is a rare multisystem vasculitis of unknown aetiology. Due to the rarity of the disease, few single-centre case series have been described. The aim of this study was to evaluate a small series from a single Italian centre in order to describe the clinical features of the disease, the treatment and long-term follow-up.

METHODS

Nineteen Churg-Strauss syndrome patients were selected from the medical records of all vasculitis patients attending the Immunology Unit at the Department of Internal Medicine of the University of Pisa in the decade between 1989 and 2000. Data were obtained retrospectively.

RESULTS

All the patients had asthma and hypereosinophilia. As in other case series, the lungs, skin and peripheral nervous system were the most commonly involved organs. The majority of our patient received i.v. pulses of methylprednisolone followed by i.v. pulses of cyclophosphamide. The outcome and long-term follow-up were good. There were no fatalities observed in this series during the follow-up period.

CONCLUSIONS

Churg-Strauss syndrome is a systemic vasculitis occurring in patients with a history of asthma and allergic rhinitis. The positive results of the treatment protocol used in this preliminary study deserve to be tested in controlled multicentre studies.

Bladder involvement in systemic sclerosis: urodynamic and histological evaluation in 23 patients

Lower tract involvement of systemic sclerosis is an uncommon manifestation. In this study we have evaluated the functional and morphologic vesical changes in 23 female patients with systemic sclerosis to investigate if bladder dysfunction was correlated with an extended skin sclerosis and/or a more serious organ involvement. Urodynamic alterations were observed in only 3 cases. Urinary symptoms and urodynamic features were correlated neither with severity of vesical fibrosis nor with visceral involvement. Autonomic dysfunction was detected in 13 patients.

Behçet's disease with gastrointestinal involvement associated with myelodysplasia in a patient with congenital panhypopituitarism

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are hematologic disorders characterised by peripheral cytopenias and the hystologic features of hematologic dysplasia. Their association with autoimmune manifestations have been suggested by several authors: recently, the appearance of Behçet's disease during MDS has been reported. We describe the occurrence of MDS in a patient affected by Behçet's syndrome with gastrointestinal involvement and congenital panhypopituitarism.

[Significance of computerized tomography in the diagnosis of post-traumatic proximal carpal instability]

INTRODUCTION

Proximal carpal instability is a painful condition characterized by early or late loss of radioulnar joint (RUJ) congruence not affecting the normal bone alignment of the two carpal rows. The joint incongruence or (incomplete) dislocation which leads to proximal instability is caused by many traumatic and nontraumatic events. The diagnosis of (incomplete) dislocation of the distal RUJ may be extremely difficult to make at conventional radiography because such injuries can be seen only when the lateral joint projection is perfect; otherwise the diagnosis is not reliable. CT is the only imaging tool diagnosing the grade of distal RUJ congruence independent of the examination technique.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We studied the radiocarpal complex conditions leading to proximal instability at the Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute from December, 1995, through December, 1997. In all, 389 cases were seen, 376 from trauma and 13 of nontraumatic origin. Each injury was studied with conventional radiography, CT, and MRI. Radiography was performed in two projections, namely the posteroanterior one with hand extension and the lateral one with the forearm in neutral position and the elbow bent at 90 degrees; the projections were repeated whenever a cast brace was applied. Unenhanced CT was performed for comparison with the patient prone and the forearm and wrist in prone and neutral position, as well as with the patient, forearm and wrist supine. Three criteria of electronic image processing were adopted for the RUJ studies in the 3 projections: radioulnar lines, congruence, and epicenter. MRI was always performed after conventional radiography and CT. Only the involved radiocarpal region was studied; coronal, axial and sagittal images were acquired with T2-weighted GE and T1-weighted SE sequences.

RESULTS

Proximal instability was found in 17 of 389 patients; it was early in 13 and late in 4 of them. The comparison of radiographic and CT results showed that the former method is unreliable, with 53% false negatives. Pain, a cast brace, congenital or acquired deformities of distal radius and ulna and patient mispositioning by the radiology technician can change the rotation of the forearm, wrist and hand and make a perfect laterolateral projection in neutral position unfeasible, which affects the radiographic diagnosis. Conversely, CT showed its extreme efficacy in assessing the distal RUJ congruence with no false negatives independent of the RUJ rotation and of instability type and grade.

CONCLUSIONS

Conventional radiography is a poorly reliable tool for the diagnosis of joint incongruence and its grade. In contrast, CT can diagnose a RUJ (incomplete) dislocation easily and unquestionably, thanks to its axial capabilities, even when adequate radiographic studies would be unfeasible. If the anteroposterior projection of the radiocarpal complex shows a congenital or acquired deformity of distal radius, the lateral projection can be skipped and a CT scan in prone, neutral and supine position performed. The 3 CT criteria quantify incongruence type and grade, and also demonstrate the position of maximum incongruence and its decrease by position. The comparative study of the radiocarpal region makes CT a very useful and valuable tool in congenital instability because its allows the assessment of contralateral radioulnar congruence too. MRI is very useful in the diagnosis of injury or degeneration of the fibrocartilage complex, namely in patients with no bone changes at conventional radiography.

Severe urinary bladder involvement in systemic sclerosis. Case report and review of the literature

Lower urinary tract involvement is an uncommon manifestation of systemic sclerosis; however, it may represent a troublesome disturbance affecting the quality of life in systemic sclerosis patients. Here we report the case of a middle-aged woman with a 5-year history of systemic sclerosis, who developed severe and progressive urinary bladder sclerosis. This report is particularly interesting because of the severity of the bladder involvement, which required surgical treatment.

[Significance of three-compartment digitalized arthrography in the diagnosis of post-traumatic instability of the radiocarpal complex]

INTRODUCTION

The radiocarpal complex is the structure formed by the distal radioulnar, radiocarpal and midcarpal joints; these joints are compartments, each anatomically separated from the other. An appropriate arthrographic study with three-compartment injection better demonstrates the capsuloligamentous structures than conventional radiography. The diagnosis of any condition in this complex may therefore be easier to make.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

From January 1993 to December 1996, twenty-six patients with mild to moderate wrist and carpal sprain and previously examined with radiography, were submitted to digital three-compartment arthrography at the Imaging Diagnostic Service of the Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute. Of 17 patients with previous radiographic diagnosis of scapholunar diastasis, 1 patient had a negative radiographic picture, 15 had an incomplete tear of the scapholunar ligament and 1 a double injury of the scapholunar and triquetro-lunar ligaments. Of 10 patients with mild to moderate triquetro-lunar diastasis, 8 had and arthrographic picture of pyramido-lunar ligament injury, 1 had a double injury of the triquetro-lunar and scapholunar ligaments and another one of triangular fibrocartilage complex injury.

RESULTS

Three-compartment contrast agent injection permitted the diagnosis of interruptions between the different compartments and more injuries of scapholunar and triquetro-lunar ligaments than single compartment injection. We examined 27 patients with small arch injuries with three-compartment digital arthrography and found scapholunar diastasis in 17 (63%) and triquetro-lunar diastasis in 10 (37%). In the first group of 17 patients, three-compartment arthography demonstrated more scapholunar ligament injuries (13 cases) than single compartment injection; image subtraction, allowed by the digital technique, showed 2 injuries not visible otherwise. Injuries of the scapholunar and triquetro-lunar ligaments were demonstrated with and without digital subtraction. One patient had no ligament injury. In the other group of 10 patients, three-compartment arthrography showed more triquetro-lunar ligament injuries (6 cases) than single compartment injection; image subtraction demonstrated 2 injuries not visible otherwise in this group too. Injuries of the scapholunar and triquetro-lunar ligaments were demonstrated with and without digital subtraction. The injury of triangular fibrocartilage and contrast agent leak into soft tissues were shown in one patient with the injection of the distal radioulnar compartment alone, regardless of image subtraction.

CONCLUSIONS

Arthrography, combined with conventional static and dynamic radiography, increases the detection rate of capsuloligament joint defects in the wrist-carpal complex. The three-compartment digital technique combines the advantages of fluoroscopic monitoring and videorecording and allows real time imaging of the contrast agent flow during injection in different compartments. Moreover, the digital technique permits the complete study of all joints in a single session, while image subtraction reveals even minimal ligament changes. This technique becomes therefore a fundamental tool for surgical planning.

[Traditional radiology in the assessment of posttraumatic carpal instability]

INTRODUCTION

Carpal instability is a painful posttraumatic syndrome with early or late loss of the normal alignment of the carpal bones, which can be caused by a variety of injuries, from minor sprain to major fracture-dislocation of the carpal-wrist complex. If the trauma causing instability is a fracture, a severe dislocation or a fracture-dislocation, the radiographic diagnosis is not particularly difficult. The morphologic and dynamic complexity of the carpal region represents, instead, a major obstacle in the radiologic diagnosis of mild or moderate sprains because the morphologic alterations on standard static views are minimal or absent in these conditions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We reviewed 214 injuries causing posttraumatic carpal instability including both the cases classified by the Data Analysis Center of the Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli as carpal dislocations and fracture-dislocations from January, 1975, to July, 1996, and the more recent cases directly observed at our Casualty Clinic. In the former cases, we reviewed only the available images, while our patients were examined with comparative standard and under stress or dynamic views.

RESULTS

Of 214 lesions causing posttraumatic carpal instability, 43 along the great arch were classified as severe because they were easily detectable on standard films and 171 along the small arch were classified as mild because slight/no abnormalities were detected on standard static views. Only dynamic imaging showed posttraumatic carpal instability demonstrating the integrity of the ligaments and of the carpal hinges, as well as gaps or asymmetry not detected on static views.

CONCLUSIONS

We suggest the systematic use of dynamic imaging in the cases where static findings are negative or poor, in the patients with a painful wrist after an apparently minor sprain. Missed or delayed diagnoses are thus reduced, as well as the consequent joint incongruity and/or chronic subluxation which may severely impair these patients.

[Anatomopathology, computerized tomography, and magnetic resonance correlations in soft tissue liposarcoma]

Liposarcomas are one of the most common soft tissue malignant tumors; they can be differentiated in four histologic subtypes: well-differentiated, myxoid, round cell and pleomorphic liposarcomas. The search of differential CT and MR patterns to better classify the lesions in the proper histologic subtype is justified by the different histologic features, clinical course and especially prognosis, of every lesion subtype. From 1990 to 1995, 50 liposarcoma patients were examined preoperatively with CT and MRI in our Institute of Radiology. We found 7 well-differentiated liposarcomas (14%), twenty myxoid liposarcomas (40%), ten round cell liposarcomas (20%) and, finally, 13 pleomorphic liposarcomas (26%). The thigh was the most common tumor site (60%). The following parameters were considered: lesion margins, tissue homogeneity, fat tissue ratio and the presence of calcifications. Well-differentiated liposarcomas presented well-defined and regular margins (72%), mildly heterogeneous appearance (44%) and more than 75% fat tissue (72%). Myxoid liposarcomas presented well-defined and regular margins (65%), heterogeneous appearance (65%) and less than 25% fat tissue (95%). The diagnosis of myxoid liposarcoma can be made in the presence of myxoid tissue, which has very low CT attenuation values and mildly hypointense signal on T1-weighted and progressively hyperintense signal on T2-weighted MR images. Round cell and pleomorphic liposarcomas are high-grade malignancies and they cannot be distinguished from other malignant soft tissue lesions. In these cases, the diagnosis can be made only at histology.

Linear and non-linear relationships between the 'swelling test' and conventional semen variables in men suspected of primary infertility

The relationship and degree of association between the percentage of sperm swelling (HOS-test) and conventional semen variables was investigated in 263 consecutive ejaculates. The semen samples were exclusively obtained from men suspected of primary infertility. It was found that the correlation coefficients (Spearman's rho) followed the order: percentage of progressive motility at 3 h greater than count/ml greater than percentage of total motility at 3 h greater than percentage of normal spermatozoa. Of the three morphology sub-classes considered (sperm head, mid-piece and tail abnormalities), only mid-piece abnormalities correlated with the outcome of the HOS-test (rho = -0.409). Linear relationships between HOS-test results and sperm motility and morphology, but not sperm count, were indicated by LOWESS-smoothing. However, a linear relationship between the HOS-test, sperm count and a 'functional index' combining the conventional semen variables could be demonstrated after normalization of the data. Our findings suggest that the HOS-test may be of value in assessing the functional integrity and viability of spermatozoa; however, its prognostic power for fertility is probably not different from that of conventional semen variables.