Background. Prone positioning has been found feasible and appropriate for the reduction of radiation exposure of the lungs, but its effects on the heart dose remain controversial. individual anatomical features were sought for the selection of optimal treatment positioning. Material and methods. in 138 left-sided breast cancer cases awaiting postoperative whole-breast radiotherapy, conformal radiotherapy plans were generated in both prone and supine positions. Results. The radiation doses to the left anterior descending coronary artery (lad) and heart in the two positions differed individually, and were strongly related to the body mass index (BMi). image fusion of the CT scans revealed that prone positioning was detrimental if the heart was situated distant from the chest wall in the supine position, but moved to the chest wall in the prone position. For characterization of the geography of the heart and the breast, the median distance between the lad and the chest wall (d median ), and the heart area included in the radiation field on a single CT scan at the middle of the heart in the supine position (a heart ) proved most appropriate. Conclusion. a validated statistical model, utilizing the BMi, d median and a heart , permits individualized positioning for maximum heart protection. Acta Oncologica, 2014; 53: 58-64 iSSn 0284-186X print/iSSn 1651-226X online

Background The Alvarado score is a clinical scoring system used in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. This study aimed to compare the reliability of the Alvarado score and clinical judgment and to refine the score to make it easier to use. Methods In this prospective, randomized study, patients presenting at the authors' outpatient department with suspected appendicitis during a 1-year period were assigned in weekly alternation to either group A or group B. The group A patients were treated on the basis of their Alvarado score, and the group B patients underwent treatment based on clinical judgment. The correctness of the methods was assessed by evaluation of the final histology. Statistical comparison of the data was performed using SPSS 20. Results The study investigated 269 patients (131 in group A and 138 in group B). The groups were homogeneous in terms of mean age, gender, body mass index, and American Society of Anesthesiologists score. The number of negative appendectomies was 12 (9.16 %) in group A versus 5 (3.6 %) in group B (p = 0.063). The clinical judgment had better specificity and sensitivity than the Alvarado score. For that reason, the specificity of the Alvarado score was refined using statistical methods, with weighting of certain clinical data and inclusion of new ones (e.g., ultrasound investigation). Consequently, the area under the curve by receiver operating characteristic analysis gradually increased, and the Alvarado score became more accurate. Conclusion The study findings showed clinical judgment to be more reliable in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis than the Alvarado score, but the score is a useful diagnostic aid, especially for young colleagues. The use of the new scoring system has become easier. It includes fewer criteria as well as an important and sensitive predictor: the ultrasound investigation.Acute appendicitis is the most common urgent surgical condition, with 9 % of the population affected [1]. Its differential diagnosis is extremely difficult, especially for the elderly, children, and fertile-age women, in whom it can mimic numerous gynecologic and urogenital conditions [2]. The lethality of the condition is about 0.7 %, which means that it causes the death of almost 100 patients in Hungary each year [3]. Furthermore, the number of negative appendectomies remains in the approximate range of 5-10 %, although the negative appendectomy rate (NAR) has decreased in recent decades due to better diagnostic techniques (i.e., ultrasound and preoperative computed tomography [CT]) [4].The diagnosis of acute appendicitis is based on the medical history, the physical examination, and the laboratory analysis, but imaging techniques (ultrasound and CT scan) also may be helpful. The ultrasound scan is easy to perform and inexpensive, but its result is examiner-and patientdependent. With its help, however, the number of negative appendectomies can be decreased by 10 % [5]. The CT scan

We consider this simple clinical tool appropriate for assisting individual positioning aiming at maximum heart protection during left breast irradiation.

Background:The major limitations of widespread use of non-intubated thoracic surgery (NITS) is the fear of managing complications. Here we present our practice of converting from uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) NITS to open NITS in cases of surgical complications. Methods: The study period was from January 26, 2017, to November 30, 2018. Total intravenous anesthesia was provided with propofol guided by bispectral index, and the airway was maintained with a laryngeal mask with spontaneous breathing. Local anesthesia with 2% lidocaine at the skin incision, and intercostal and vagus nerve blockades were induced using 0.5% bupivacaine. For conversion with surgical indications, a thoracotomy was performed at the incision without additional local or general anesthetics. Results: In 160 complete NITS procedures, there were 145 VATS NITS and 15 open NITS (9 conversions to open NITS and 6 intended NITS thoracotomies). In the 15 open NITS cases (2 pneumonectomies, 1 bilobectomy, 1 sleeve lobectomy, 7 lobectomies, 3 sublobar resections, 1 exploration), the mean operative time was 146.7 (105-225) and 110 (75-190) minutes in the converted and intended open NITS groups,respectively. There were no significant differences between systolic blood pressure (P=0.316; 95% CI, −10.469 to 3.742), sat O2% (P=0.27; 95% CI, −1.902 to 0.593), or propofol concentration in the effect site (P=0.053; 95% CI, −0.307 to 0.002) but significant differences in pulse (P=0.007; 95% CI, −10.001 to −2.72), diastolic blood pressure (P=0.013; 95% CI, −9.489 to −1.420) and in end-tidal CO2 (P=0.016; 95% CI, −7.484 to −0.952) before versus after thoracotomy, but there was no clinical relevance of the differences.Conclusions: For conversion with surgical indications during the VATS-NITS procedure, NITS thoracotomy can be performed safely at the site of the utility incision without the need for additional drugs, and the major lung resections can be performed through this approach.

Because of the widespread use of immunosuppressive drugs, CMV infection is one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with haematological malignancies worldwide. The aim of the study was to retrospectively analyse the epidemiology of CMV infection in haematological patients. Between 2008 and 2014, 1238 quantitative CMV DNA detections from plasma specimens were performed. These specimens were collected from 271 patients with haematological malignancy. Patients were grouped on the basis of underlying diseases (lymphoid and myeloid malignancies and other haematological diseases). In the lymphoid and myeloid groups, we distinguished ASCT and non-ASCT groups. During the studied period, the majority of examined patients (82.6 %) were treated with lymphoproliferative disease. A total of 126 (46.5 %) patients underwent ASCT, while 145 (53.5 %) did not have stem cell transplantation. A total of 118 (9.5 %) of 1238 plasma specimens proved to be positive for CMV DNA; these specimens were collected from 66 (24.4 %) patients. Twenty-four (16.6 %) of 145 non-ASCT patients had CMV PCR positive specimens. Among non-ASCT patients with positive CMV PCR results, 10 patients were asymptomatic, 14 had symptomatic reactivation, while 2 had CMV disease. In the ASCT group, 42 (33.3 %) patients had CMV PCR positive samples. CMV reactivation was asymptomatic in 34 (81 %) cases, and 8 (19 %) patients had symptomatic reactivation. In the non-ASCT group, the rate of CMV infection is low. In the ASCT group, the prevalence of CMV infection was higher than in the non-ASCT group, but the majority of CMV infection was asymptomatic and only small number of patients had symptomatic reactivation. Thus, our results also showed that the use of routine CMV DNA monitoring is not necessary in patients with haematological malignancies not receiving fludarabine-containing regimen or alemtuzumab, in spite of this to decrease the mortality we have to consider the use of molecular tests in case of suspected infectious conditions.