The aim of this study is to present a review based on the literature and proceedings from selected telemedicine conferences. The review was developed using the PRISMA framework. The Embase and PubMed (updated until July 13, 2015) literature databases were searched for telemedicine-related terms and Poland. The literature search identified 129 eligible articles in the databases and 85 in conference proceedings until July 2015. Articles measured as a number of contributions per year presented a similar rising, fluctuating and almost parallel pattern. Fifty-nine percent of the reviewed papers were published in impacted journals. Almost half of all publications presented original papers. The published articles concerned mostly cardiology (16%), family medicine (15%) and pathology (11%). Conference proceedings papers concerned orthopedics (29%, significantly more frequent; p < 0.001) and cardiology (14%). Scientific activity of researchers and practitioners in Poland in the field of telemedicine is not high, but it is increasing over time. There is a tendency to present the research rather in high-quality journals instead of conferences before publication. The occurrence of individual medical specialty telemedicine in Poland may reflect country-specific needs.

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Introduction Autoimmune reactions in Graves' disease (GD) occur not only in the thyroid gland, but also in the orbital connective tissue, eyelids, extraocular muscles. The occurrence of orbitopathy in the course of GD is influenced by environmental factors, e.g. cigarette smoking. Objectives The aim of the study was to analyze the effect of cigarette smoking on the efficacy of activity of radioiodine(131I) therapy in patients with GD. We also studied the influence of cigarette smoking and the efficacy of prednisone prophylaxis on the risk of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) development after radioiodine therapy (RIT) during two years of follow-up. Patients and methods Medical records of hyperthyroid patients treated with radioiodine had been included.

BackgroundThe imaging techniques most commonly used in the diagnosis of hyperparathyroidisms are ultrasound and scintigraphy. The diagnostic algorithms vary, depending mainly on the population, and experience of physicians.AimAim of the present research was to determine the usefulness of parathyroid scintigraphy and ultrasonography in patients diagnosed for hyperparathyroidism in own material.Material and methodIn the present research, 96 operated patients with documented primary, secondary and tertiary hyperparathyroidism were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent a 99mTc hexakis-2-methoxyisobutylisonitrile scintigraphy of the neck with the use of subtraction and two-phase examinations. Ultrasonography of the neck was performed in all the patients in B mode 2D presentation. A total number of 172 parathyroid glands were analyzed.ResultsThe sensitivity and specificity of scintigraphy was 68% and 60%, respectively. The sensitivity of ultrasound was 49% and specificity 85%. Both techniques allowed visualization of 76 parathyroid glands. Ultrasound revealed 19 glands that were not visible in scintigraphy. Scintigraphy showed 76 parathyroid glands that were not visualized on ultrasound. Having combined the results of scintigraphy and ultrasound, the sensitivity of 76% and specificity of 50% were obtained. Considering the ability to locate the parathyroid glands in both techniques as a positive result, the sensitivity decreased to 37% and specificity rose to 95%.ConclusionsScintigraphy showed greater sensitivity than ultrasound in the localization of enlarged parathyroid glands. Ultrasound, in turn, was characterized by a higher specificity. The combined use of scintigraphy and ultrasonography allowed to obtain the specificity of 95%. In the light of obtained results, scintigraphy and ultrasonography are complementary and should be used together.

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