In our study of percutaneously diagnosed papillomas, surgery revealed cancer in 14% and high-risk lesions in 17%. Lesions yielding a benign, concordant diagnosis of papilloma at percutaneous biopsy may warrant surgical excision.

We believe that internal flow without or with minimal peripheral flow on DUS and RI > or = 0.70 can be used to distinguish between malignant and benign thyroid nodules fairly reliably. Nodules with prevailing peripheral vascularisation and minimal or no internal vascularisation, and RI below 0.70 are probably benign.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) are evolving techniques that offer noninvasive evaluation of anatomic and metabolic features of prostate cancer. The ability of MRI to determine the location and extent of the tumor and to identify metastatic spread is useful in the pretreatment setting, enabling treatment decision-making that is evidence-based. MRSI of the prostate gland expands the diagnostic assessment of prostate cancer through the detection of cellular metabolites, and can lead to noninvasive differentiation of cancer from healthy tissue. MRI/MRSI can also be used to evaluate both local and systemic recurrence, with endorectal MRI being capable of detecting local recurrence, even in patients with rising serum PSA level but no palpable tumor on digital rectal examination. Considering the benefits that MRI and MRSI have been shown to offer patients, the skills and technology required to perform these tests should be widely disseminated to make their routine use possible. Teamwork between members of radiology, pathology, urology and radiation oncology departments is essential in order to exploit these technologies fully.

Fibrous cortical defects are local disturbances of ossification, most commonly seen in the metaphysis of tubular bones in growing children. These lesions are usually clinically silent, and most of them heal by being replaced with normal bone. Along with typical age, location and absence of clinical symptoms, plain radiographic films allow the diagnosis of fibrous cortical defect to be made. Because of rare but occasionally occurring complications, follow-up examinations are necessary. In a child with fibrous cortical defect the ultrasound examination demonstrated that fibrous cortical defects display a rather typical sonographic image. One finds clearly delineated defects of the bone located in the vicinity of the knee joint, filled with hypo-echogenic soft tissue, also displaying prominent internal vascularisation on colour-Doppler. We followed this patient up with repeated US examinations revealing the lesions to be shrinking in size and becoming shallower. Echogenic foci within the lesions appeared. It could be presumed that these changes represent the healing process and are comparable to the areas of sclerosis seen on CT scans. We believe that ultrasound with all its benefits is a powerful complementary method for the diagnosis and follow-up of fibrous cortical defects in children.

Background: The aim of the study was to assess prospectively the evolution of multiple clinical parameters throughout the first trimester of pregnancy. Method: A transvaginal ultrasound examination and a blood test was weekly performed until the 13th gestational week in a group of healthy volunteers. A total of 25 spontaneously conceived singleton pregnant women with good pregnancy outcome finally completed the study. The evolution of 10 transvaginal ultrasound parameters, 5 Doppler measurements and 6 serum parameters was studied.Results: An increasing trend with advancing gestation was evident for the mean gestational sac (MSD) and amniotic sac (AS) diameters, trophoblastic rim, CRL and serum progesterone. The uterine, umbilical and fetal cerebral arteries PI decreased with advancing gestation. The FM yolk sac (YS) diameter and b-hCG levels showed an initial rise and a final decrease. A great interindividual variation was evident for the b-hCG titer. The YS/CRL progressively approached to 0, whereas the MSD/CRL and the AS/MSD progressively approached to 1. The corpus luteum diameter, corpus luteum arteries PI, subehorionic arteries PI, complement levels (C3 and C4), platelet count and activated partial thromboplastin time experienced minimal changes. Conclusion: First trimester normograms for multiple clinical parameters are provided. P02The first results of the ultrasound transvaginal screening in early pregnancies in Kazan city, Tatarstan, Russia In 1 January 2000 in order of Tatarstan Health Care Ministry transvaginal first trimester screening was introduced in Kazan city. All pregnant women have to be examined in one of 5 the medical centers.We present the results of six month screening for all pregnant women between 10 and 14 weeks gestation. Method: Routine transvaginal ultrasound examination included the measurement of fetal crown-rump length, nuchal translucency and estimation of fetal anatomy. Results: A total 1620 pregnant women of 10±14 weeks of gestation were examined from January till June 2000. All abnormalities were detected at the 12±13 weeks gestational ages. The increasing of nuchal translucency thickness were found in 23 cases, 7 of them chromosomal defects had, in this group in 5 cases cystic hygroma with hydrops were identified.In 12 cases structural anomalies were found: 1-body stalk anomaly, 1 case-omphalocele with liver in it, 1-holoprosencephaly with proboshisis and microphtalmia, 1-encephalocele, 3-acrania, 5-anencephaly. In the cases of holoprosencephaly and encephalocele nuchal translucency measured at 10±11 week was normal. Conclusion: Even the first results of early pregnancy transvaginal screening show its great significance in our city. The most adequate period for transvaginal screening is 12±13 weeks. P03The value of ultrasound screening for fetal abnormalities in the first trimester Objective: Evaluation of routine screening in the early pregnancy by transvaginal sonography (TVS) in an unselected population. Design and methods: A routine ultrasound examination was offered to ...