Microwave ablation of the adrenal gland may be clinically applicable in the treatment of adrenal tumours.

Transabdominal ultrasonography of the bladder and internal examination were performed in 80 female patients without pyuria. They were divided into 3 groups: urethral syndrome with trigonitis (49 cases), asymptomatic trigonitis (16 cases) and normal bladder (15 cases) by cystoscopy. Ultrasonography of trigonitis with or without symptoms showed focal dilation of the submucosal low echo zone and mucosal irregularity around the bladder neck. On the sagittal view, the thicknesses from the surface of mucosa to that of muscle layer within 2 cm from the bladder neck were 4 +/- 1 mm (mean +/- standard deviation) in the group with urethral syndrome and in that with asymptomatic trigonitis, and 3 +/- 1 mm in the normal bladder group. Mucosa of the trigonitis with or without symptom is patients with significantly thicker than that of those with normal bladder (p less than 0.01). On internal examination, tenderness at the upper frontal wall of the vagina was present in 10 of 11 cases (91%) with urethral syndrome, in 2 of 8 cases (25%) with asymptomatic trigonitis and in one of 9 cases (11%) with normal bladder. There was a significant difference (p less than 0.005) between the degree of inflammation and the number of cases with tenderness at the frontal wall of the vagina. From these results, transabdominal ultrasonographic measurement of mucosal thickness around the bladder neck and internal examination for tenderness at the frontal wall of vagina are thought to be useful methods for diagnosis and follow-up of urethral syndrome.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Experimental studies were carried out in order to investigate both the efficacy of microwave coagulation therapy and the feasibility of percutaneous microwave coagulation procedures on a rabbit implanted VX-2 renal tumor. In the first experiment, a VX-2 tumor mass (1 cubic mm) was inoculated into the left kidney of 18 rabbits. The rabbits were divided into 3 groups according to the type of subsequent treatment; these include nephrectomy, microwave coagulation, and "no treatment" groups. The survival rate in the microwave coagulation group was significantly higher than that of the "no treatment" group, but was the same as that of the nephrectomy group. Serum creatinine and BUN levels did not increase after microwave coagulation, although both increased significantly until 4 weeks following nephrectomy. In the histological evaluation, carcinoma cells completely disappeared following microwave therapy.In the second experiment, percutaneous microwave coagulation on the implanted renal tumor was performed under ultrasonographic and laparoscopic monitoring. These 2 monitoring systems made it possible for us to perform a safe and complete coagulation procedure. Our results indicate that microwave coagulation may be a curative method of treatment for small renal tumors, and that either ultrasonographic monitoring or laparoscopic monitoring facilitates percutaneous microwave therapy of renal cancer in a clinical situation.

Based on these results, U-BFP is a potential tumor maker of urothelial carcinoma. In particular, the test could be used to monitor patients whose U-BFP value is positive before therapy.

Based on these results, U-BFP is a potential tumor maker of urothelial carcinoma. In particular, the test could be used to monitor patients whose U-BFP value is positive before therapy.