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Echocardiographic quantitative assessment of the atrioventricular plane displacement (AVPD) in systole towards the apex has been used to estimate global left ventricular (LV) function. The study population consisted of 106 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) with or without previous myocardial infarction and 40 age-matched healthy subjects. The AVPD was recorded from the apical four- and two-chamber views at four sites corresponding to the septal, lateral, anterior and posterior walls of the left ventricle. A mean displacement (AVmean) was calculated from the above sites. AVmean was significantly decreased in patients with CAD compared to healthy subjects (P less than 0.001). In patients in whom the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was calculated from cineangiograms a good correlation between AVmean and LVEF was found (r = 0.89, P less than 0.001, SEE = 6.4). Selecting an AVmean of 10 mm or more to define a normal LVEF (greater than or equal to 55%) resulted in a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 87% in predicting a normal versus abnormal left ventricular systolic function. It is concluded that the ease of recording the AVPD by echocardiography provides a simple and valuable noninvasive method to assess global left ventricular function in patients with CAD.

Among 240 consecutive patients subjected to total hip replacement, 206 underwent perfusion scintigraphy in screening for pulmonary embolism 10 to 14 days after surgery. All patients with perfusion abnormalities (n=77) also underwent ventilation scintigraphy with a dry 99Tcm microaerosol. The scintigraphic abnormalities were classified according to a detailed coding system and in 50 patients pulmonary angiography was performed within 24 hours for correlation. Emboli were diagnosed in 19 patients at angiography. All patients with ventilated segmental (n=6) or larger (n=5) perfusion defects or multiple subsegmental defects larger than half a segment (n=2) had emboli. Two of 8 patients with abnormally ventilated subsegmental perfusion defects larger than half a segment had emboli. Four of 21 patients with wedge-shaped subsegmental perfusion defects smaller than half a segment or defects with a rounded border towards the hilum and a peripheral extension equal to or less than that of a segment had emboli. In one of them the site of the emboli correlated to the site of the perfusion defect but occurred in normally perfused areas in the remaining 3. Ventilation scintigraphy was of no value in this group of patients. No emboli were found in patients who had areas with decreased but not totally lost perfusion (n=8). No emboli were diagnosed in 27 lungs with a normal perfusion.

Bronchial angiography was performed in 9 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. The tumor-feeding vessel was identified and infused with 10 mg of mitomycin-C (MMC) diluted in saline. At operation after 28 to 48 days complete remission of the tumor had occurred in 2 patients, almost complete in one, partial remission in 2 and a marked regression in 2. In 2 patients no change was noted. No side effects except moderate malaise and slight fever occurred.

Intravenous arteriography may be used as an alternative to translumbar or transaxillary angiography in cases with occlusion or severe stenosis of the aorta or iliac arteries, to determine the extension of the disease. During a 10-year period the method was used in 117 patients. For the examination, 80 to 100 ml of contrast medium was injected into the right atrium and after a delay of 10 to 20 seconds the lumbar aorta, iliac and femoral arteries were demonstrated. The quality of the examination was excellent or good in 92 per cent. No complications occurred. In 19 patients a continuous pressure recording was made in the main pulmonary artery. The pulmonary artery pressure increased to a significantly higher degree after contrast medium injection than after injection of the same amount of isotone saline. In all patients the pressure returned to normal within 4 minutes.