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Aims To provide a reference standard database of ultrasonographic parameters of abdominal adiposity in healthy people. Methods Italian non-obese volunteers among blood donors were enrolled in 5 age bands (from 18 to 70 year-old) to reach the threshold of 25 males and 25 females per single band (total: 250). All subjects were measured for weight, height and waist circumference and underwent ultrasonography (US) by an expert radiologist for the assessment of several abdominal fat thicknesses ( minimum and maximum subcutaneous fat thickness , maximum preperitoneal fat thickness , intrabdominal fat thickness , aorto-mesenteric thickness , and mesenteric fat thickness ). In addition, US data were normalized per waist circumference. Results From 30s to 50s no statistically significant differences were achieved between males and females for the adiposity markers of visceral fat, while a relevant divergence was proved from 60s to 70s. During ageing a marked increase of the visceral fat compartment was observed in males, while only the preperitoneal circumference was significantly modified in females. Conclusions This paper reports on US parameters of abdominal adiposity of healthy Italian adults, to be used as a reference for daily clinical practice. Data could be also considered as control group for future investigations on physiology, pathological conditions, and differences between countries.

We evaluated long-term magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of Knee Osteochondral Autologous Transplantation (OAT)-Mosaicplasty and correlated MRI findings and clinical outcome. Twenty-four patients (mean age 29.9 +/- 8.7, 70.8% male) undergoing arthroscopic OAT between 1997 and 2000 were prospectively enrolled. The International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS)/International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores and Tegner scores were employed for clinical evaluation. The magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue (MOCART) was utilized for description and assessment of the repair tissue. Median follow up was 113 months (interquartile range [IQR] 106-122). MRI showed good survival of grafted cartilage in 62.5% of patients. The integration of the graft was complete in 75% of cases, while the repaired tissue was intact in 62.5% and had an homogeneous structure in 70.8%. The MOCART score significantly correlated with objective and subjective scores (p = 0.003 and p = 0.002). Contrastingly, overall MOCART showed no correlation with the Tegner score. MRI revealed to be a powerful tool for non-invasive long-term assessment of OAT

Accuracy of implant positioning and precise reconstruction of leg alignment offers the best way to achieve good long-term results in total knee arthroplasty. Computer instrumentation was developed to improve the final position of the component and restore the mechanical axis. Current navigation systems use either optical or electromagnetic tracking. The advantage of the Electromagnetic (EM) navigation system is that no line-of-sight issues are present. However, special iron-free instruments are required. This report analyzes the postoperative radiological results of 32 knees treated using an EM system. All the measurements were recorded using software able to subtend angles automatically by five physicians, three radiologist and two orthopedic residents not involved with the surgery. Each radiograph was measured three times, in random order, and at delayed intervals. We found an ideal alignment for the mechanical axis (180+/-3 degrees ) in 30 out of 32 cases, whereas all the patients achieved a value of 90 degrees +/-3 degrees for both femoral and tibial frontal component angles. An apparently over-corrected implant position for the sagittal femoral component was reported, with a mean value of 11.2 degrees +/-3.6. The mean position of the tibial component was 90.6 degrees +/-2.8; just four measurements were outside of the +/-3 degrees of the desired value. EM is safe and there were no complications related to this system. An almost perfect correlation was found between the mechanical axis value of the EM navigation system (179.8 degrees +/-1.8) and the median value of the all reviewers (180.3 degrees +/-1.9) with a difference of 0.5 degrees .