These preliminary results show that the ABUS allows detection of solid and cystic lesions and their BI-RADS classification with a high reliability in a selected patient group.

gamma-H2AX immunofluorescence microscopy is a reliable and sensitive method for measuring the induction and repair of DNA damage caused by ionizing radiation during angiography. To estimate radiation doses delivered during procedures and to consider patients individual repair capacity, postangiography DSB-yields should be compared with DSB-yields after fractioned in vitro irradiation imitating examination conditions.

In the majority of patients with oesophageal carcinoma, curative treatment proves to be impossible when diagnosis was established; therefore, most of the patients are candidates for palliative chemotherapy. The aim of this phase II study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of 5-fluorouracil/folinic acid (AIO regimen) plus irinotecan in patients with locally advanced or metastatic carcinoma of the oesophagus. The methods used a prospective phase II trial, start: November 2002; patients: n=25; chemotherapy: irinotecan (80 mg/m2) as a 1-h infusion and 5-fluorouracil (2000 mg/m2) with sodium folinic acid (500 mg/m2) as a 24-h infusion on days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and 36, repeated on day 57. Last date of evaluation: 28 February 2007; n=24; adenocarcinoma: n=13, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC): n=11; UICC III/IV: 3/21; grading G1/G2/G3/G4: 0/8/12/4; median age: 58 years (range 44-75); men/women: 19/5; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group index 0/1/2: 3/17/4; applications: 460. Higher-grade toxicity: grade 3 diarrhoea: n=2, grade 4 diarrhoea: n=1, grade 4 vomiting: n=1, grade 4 nausea: n=1, grade 3 fatigue: n=1, grade 3 hyponatraemia: n=2, grade 4 elevation of creatinine: n=1, thrombosis of the vena subclavia: n=1, ischaemic lesion of the brain stem: n=1. Three patients died after two chemotherapeutic applications because of high tumour burden. Evaluable for response: n=19. Partial response: n=8 (33%), stable disease: n=9 (38%), progressive disease: n=2 (8%), not evaluable: n=5 (21%). Time-to-progression: 6.6 months (range 1.6-24.6). Total median survival: 13.6 months (median survival of adenocarcinoma: 20.3 months, median survival of SCC: 10.0 months). Secondary resection (R0): n=3. In oesophageal carcinomas, the AIO regimen plus irinotecan is excellently manageable as an outpatient treatment and shows efficacy in adenocarcinomas and SCCs of the oesophagus.

Background !Shortly after the discovery of X-ray radiation, its detrimental effect on biological tissue was observed. The increasing number of X-raybased examinations in recent decades has reAbstract ! Shortly after the discovery of X-rays, their damaging effect on biological tissues was observed. The determination of radiation exposure in diagnostic and interventional radiology is usually based on physical measurements or mathematical algorithms with standardized dose simulations. γ-H2AX immunofluorescence microscopy is a reliable and sensitive method for the quantification of radiation induced DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) in blood lymphocytes. The detectable amount of these DNA damages correlates well with the dose received. However, the biological radiation damage depends not only on dose but also on other individual factors like radiation sensitivity and DNA repair capacity. Iodinated contrast agents can enhance the x-ray induced DNA damage level. After their induction DSB are quickly repaired. A protective effect of antioxidants has been postulated in experimental studies. This review explains the prinicple of the γ-H2AX technique and provides an overview on studies evaluating DSB in radiologic examinations. Key Points:▶ Radiologic examinations including CT and angiography induce DNA double-strand breaks. Even after mammography a slight but significant increase is detectable in peripheral blood lymphocytes.▶ The number of radiation induced doublestrand breaks correlates well with the radiation dose.▶ Individual factors including radiation sensitivity, DNA repair capacity and the application of iodinated contrast media has an influence on the DNA damage level. This document was downloaded for personal use only. Unauthorized distribution is strictly prohibited.sulted in the heightened importance of radiation dosage and protection as clinical topics [1, 2]. Determination of dose exposure in diagnostic and interventional radiology is carried out primarily using physical methods based on standardized phantoms or relying on mathematical dosage simulations. Such estimates can determine the exposure quite well, but supply no information regarding the interaction of radiation in the patient's body. Nowadays there are indications that biological radiation damage is not solely dependent on the applied dosage, but is also related to additional individual factors that cannot be sufficiently determined using established dosimetric methods. Earlier approaches to biological dosimetry were not sensitive enough for the dosage range used in radiology [3]. Double-stand breaks (DSB) are considered the most relevant radiation-induced damage to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) [4]. Although such breakage is quickly repaired, defective repairs can result in mutations, causing carcinogenesis [5, 6]. An immunofluorescence microscopic approach, which is much more sensitive than previous biological processes, allows the determination of individual DNA DSB in peripheral blood lymphocytes, thus allowing an accurate estimation of the biolog...

MR galactography has the potential to be used in the diagnostic work-up of pathologic nipple discharge. Direct MR galactography shows more disease than does indirect MR galactography. The highest detection rate for ductal disease compared with that at conventional galactography was found with the direct MR galactography CISS and FLASH sequences.

Even with highly viscous CM, high flow rates can be applied in vitro in 22, 20, and 18G IVC without risking material damage. In vivo power injection of iodinated CM through 22G and 20G IVC seems to be safely achievable in the majority of patients with flow rates of up to 3 ml/sec and 5 ml/sec. Extravasation rates do not differ significantly between patients with high-flow or low-flow injections.

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