BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to evaluate the contribution of laryngeal intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM) during thyroidectomy in predicting postoperative laryngeal mobility. METHODS Between 2009 and 2012, 127 patients underwent thyroidectomy, during which 216 recurrent laryngeal nerves were stimulated with suprathreshold stimulations. Laryngeal mobility was examined through d...

The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of qualitative analysis of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in discrimination of adnexal masses which were undetermined by conventional ultrasound (US). A total of 120 patients underwent transabdominal CEUS. The initial enhancement time and intensity compared with the uterine myometrium, contrast agent distribution patterns and dynamic change...

Visually-guided arm reaching movements are produced by distributed neural networks within parietal and frontal regions of the cerebral cortex. Experimental data indicate that (I) single neurons in these regions are broadly tuned to parameters of movement; (2) appropriate commands are elaborated by populations of neurons; (3) the coordinated action of neurons can be visualized using a neuronal p...

OBJECTIVE To assess the value of spectroscopic and perfusion MRI for glioma grading and for distinguishing glioblastomas from metastases and from CNS lymphomas. METHODS The authors examined 79 consecutive patients with first detection of a brain neoplasm on nonenhanced CT scans and no therapy prior to evaluation. Spectroscopic MRI; arterial spin-labeling MRI for measuring cerebral blood flow ...

BACKGROUND Biopsy is a crucial step within the diagnostic cascade in patients with suspected bone or soft tissue sarcoma. Open biopsy is still considered the gold standard. However, recent literature suggests similar results for percutaneous biopsy techniques. Therefore, the aim of this retrospective analysis was to compare open and percutaneous core needle biopsy (CNB) regarding their accuracy...

Background: To determine the diagnostic effectiveness of (123I) ioflupane injection (DaTscanTM) in patients with early, clinically uncertain parkinsonian syndrome (CUPS), 122 clinical trial subjects with CUPS who had experienced motor and non-motor signs and symptoms up to 5 years prior to enrolment underwent DaTscan imaging. Design/methods: Of the 122 subjects recruited from 19 centers (US and...

Green roofs are considered to be one of the optimal tools for saving energy and protecting environment in developed countries. In this paper, an analysis possible application green on existing residential buildings with flat is presented. economic analysis, models Belgrade, two different types roofs, studied. A key indicator investment profitability investigation net present value (NPV) roof pr...

AIMS To assess the diagnostic accuracy of 256-row computed tomographic angiography (CTA) in patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). Non-invasive imaging of the coronary artery by CTA has increasingly been used in recent years. The accuracy of 256-row CTA has not yet been studied. We sought to assess the accuracy of 256-row CTA compared with invasive coronary angiography (ICA) in ...

BACKGROUND Several studies have evaluated preoperative B-type natriuretic peptides (NPs) for predicting mortality after surgery; however, the number of deaths in each study was small, limiting the power of these studies. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies addressing preoperative NP levels to predict mortality after cardiac and noncardiac surgery. METHODS We searched...

The aim of the study was to assess diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity and specificity) of Fenyö-Lindberg and Teicher scores for distinguishing patients that need immediate surgical treatment from the others, in a female population from an urban setting. The study prospectively included 130 female patients admitted to the emergency department with abdominal pain indicating acute appendicitis. The ...