Primary systemic amyloidosis presenting with advanced heart failure

Endoplasmic reticulum stress in drug- and environmental toxicant-induced liver toxicity

Liver injury resulting from exposure to drugs and environmental chemicals is a major health problem. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress) is considered to be an important factor in a wide range of diseases, such as cancer, neurological and cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and inflammatory diseases. The role of ER stress in drug-induced and environmental toxicant-induced liver toxicity has been underestimated in the past; emerging evidence indicates that ER stress makes a substantial contribution to the pathogenesis of drug-induced liver toxicity. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on drugs and environmental toxicants that trigger ER stress in liver and on the underlying molecular mechanisms. We also discuss experimental approaches for ER stress studies.

Amyloidosis: Review and CT Manifestations

Amyloidosis is a collection of disease entities that produce considerable morbidity and mortality and are increasing in prevalence. The imaging findings are problematically nonspecific and diverse. This lack of specificity is compounded by the fact that amyloidosis is strongly associated with and frequently coexists with many other chronic disease states that have their own imaging findings. Amyloidosis can involve any organ singly or in conjunction with other organs and can do so in the form of a focal, tumorlike lesion or an infiltrative process. In the proper clinical setting, that is, in a patient with chronic inflammatory disease and especially in a patient with multiple myeloma, amyloidosis should be considered as a possible cause of worsening or new symptoms or imaging findings. Occasionally, the radiologic findings may precede the clinical findings, thus providing the radiologist with the opportunity to contribute to the patient's care. However, to make a difference in patient care, the radiologist must be familiar with the diverse imaging findings of amyloidosis as well as the patient's clinical history, which could raise the suspicion of amyloidosis.