[Renoscintigraphy applied with etylenedicysteine labeled with technetium 99m and SPECT technique as a method of examining kidneys in children with vesicoureteric reflux]

Vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) can lead to renal parenchymal damage. Renal scarring is an important cause of chronic renal failure and hypertension in children. The significance of possible effects determines the necessity of early diagnosis of urinary tract pathology. The aim of the paper was to evaluate the morphology and function of kidneys with VUR using selected radioisotope techniques, and to compare the sensitivity of planar technique and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) technique in detection of renal scarring. In 45 children with VUR the following test were performed: ultrasonography, renoscintigraphy with technetium-99m-ethylenedicysteine (EC-Tc-99m) and technetium-99m-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA-Tc-99m) scintigraphy with planar and SPECT mode. Stage of VUR correlates with stage of cortical lesions estimated as a value of effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) in kidney, as well as scarring intensity in static scintigraphy. The use of SPECT increases sensitivity of examination for detection small, single scars. It seems that SPECT should be used more frequently in children in the group of scarring risk. That would allow for earlier diagnosis of renal scarring, enabling efficient treatment. Due to the correlation between ERPF and parameters obtained in DMSA scintigraphy, renoscintigraphy with EC-Tc-99m may be applied to monitor the progress of renal scarring.

Clinical efficacy of 'essential' phospholipids in patients chronically exposed to organic solvents

A total of 45 workers, who had been chronically exposed to a potentially hepatotoxic xylene-toluene-benzene mixture in the atmosphere, were treated for 3 months with 'essential' phospholipids. Routine biochemical tests and radioisotope investigations to assess liver damage were carried out both at baseline and after treatment. The liver:spleen index was increased in 71% of subjects and the mean isotope transit time in the liver was reduced in 90% of the patients after treatment. The biochemical parameters remained within the normal range throughout the treatment period. The results suggest that 'essential' phospholipids may be of value in the treatment of liver damage that has arisen as a result of chronic exposure to organic solvents.

Effect of selenium and vitamin E on the development of experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits

Male mongrel rabbits, divided into 5 groups (1) controls, (2) animals receiving a high-fat diet (HFD) containing cholesterol and coconut oil, (3) HFD + selenium, (4) HFD + vitamin E, (5) HFD + selenium + vitamin E, were treated for 12 weeks. In the groups receiving selenium and/or vitamin E, the elevation of serum total lipids, beta-lipoproteins, total cholesterol and triglyceride was markedly suppressed. HDL cholesterol in these groups of animals was increased. The cytochrome P-450 content in liver microsomes was increased, and the concentration of malondialdehyde in the blood plasma of rabbits was significantly decreased, while thyroid hormones (T4, T3), cortisol and insulin level were increased. Surface area of the lipid deposits at 12 weeks measured planimetrically averaged 76% in HFD-fed animals but only 28% in selenium + vitamin E treated rabbits. The important finding of this study is that combination of selenium and vitamin E, results in an intensified effect on the improvement of metabolic processes and on the reduction of atherosclerotic plaque formation.

Endocrine functions in atherosclerotic rabbits

Radioimmunoassay of serum thyroid hormones (T3 and T4), testosterone, estradiol, insulin and cortisol of rabbits fed on a high-fat diet (coconut oil, cholesterol, cholic acid) for three months and developing experimental atherosclerosis (confirmed by biochemical tests and morphological changes in the aorta) have revealed an increase in the content of estradiol and insulin, and a decline in the level of thyroid hormones and testosterone.

Bleomycin labelled with 99mTc for differentiation of breast tumors

Bleomycin labelled with 99mTc was used to differentiate benign and malignant breast tumors. Breast scintigraphy was performed 15 and 60 min following the IV injection of 5 mCi99mTc bleomycin. Thirty-two patients with breast tumor (14 carcinomas and 18 benign nodular lesions) were examined. Cytologic or histologic verification of the tumor was carried out in all cases. All malignant tumors of the breast in the investigated group of patients revealed significantly increased accumulation of 99mTc-bleomycin.

Effect of inderal on insulin secretion, glycemia and FFA concentration in normal subjects and diabetics

In 20 cases of adult-type diabetes and in 10 healthy controls insulinemia, glycemia and free acids concentration were determined under basal conditions, after glucose load and after administration of inderal and glucose. After intravenous injection of inderal basal insulinemia fell in controls but this fall was statistically not significant, while in diabetics no evident changes of insulinemia were observed. Following inderal injection and oral glucose a statistically significant drop in insulinemia was observed in controls but not in diabetics. In both groups inderal injection was without any significant effect on glycemia before as well as after glucose load. In both groups a significant decrease occurred in the level of free fatty acids and inderal had no effect on it.