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Does Decision-Making during Gambling Involve Primary Roles for the Pre-Frontal Cortex and Anterior Cingulate Cortex
Victoria Y. M. Suen,
Peter H. Silverstone
Issue:
Volume 2, Issue 5, September 2014
Pages:
96-104
Received:
6 August 2014
Accepted:
22 August 2014
Published:
30 August 2014
Abstract: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have implicated multiple brain regions as being involved in the complex process of decision-making, including gambling. While decision-making is a key aspect of everyday life, the consequences of poor decision-making can be greatly magnified during gambling. Thus, it is useful to review current evidence regarding the brain regions involved in gambling. To date, there have been three tasks that have been frequently used to examine the paradigm of decision-making during gambling: the Iowa Gambling Task, the Game of Dice Task, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task. There are four brain regions that are most consistently involved, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), and anterior cingulate cortex. Interestingly, we have recently found that disobedience to an authority figure in a gambling task also involves activation in the amygdala, ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC) and anterior insula. Taken together, we propose that decision-making in the context of gambling is primarily determined in the pre-frontal cortex (PFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). While multiple other brain regions are likely involved, the primacy of the PFC and ACC in decision-making during gambling behaviours should be more fully recognized.
Abstract: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have implicated multiple brain regions as being involved in the complex process of decision-making, including gambling. While decision-making is a key aspect of everyday life, the consequences of poor decision-making can be greatly magnified during gambling. Thus, it is useful to review current e...
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Complicated Hydatid Cysts of the Liver: A Report of Two Cases
Abdelilah Mouhsine,
Ahmed Belkouch,
El Mehdi Atmane,
Redouane Rokhssi,
Youssef Berrada,
Lahcen Belyamani,
Abdelghani El Fikri,
M’barek Mahfoudi
Issue:
Volume 2, Issue 5, September 2014
Pages:
105-108
Received:
19 August 2014
Accepted:
28 August 2014
Published:
10 September 2014
Abstract: The authors report two cases of complicated hydatid cysts of the liver, including one which was spontaneously broken in the bile ducts and the other fistulized in the right pleura. Patients presented with jaundice and biliary colic in the first case. Cough basithoracic pain, weakness, and fever in the second. Both patients were investigated by ultrasound and CT scan followed by a hydatid serology. In both cases the patients improved after surgical treatment. Will be recalled imaging aspects of these two complications.
Abstract: The authors report two cases of complicated hydatid cysts of the liver, including one which was spontaneously broken in the bile ducts and the other fistulized in the right pleura. Patients presented with jaundice and biliary colic in the first case. Cough basithoracic pain, weakness, and fever in the second. Both patients were investigated by ultr...
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Myoepithelial Carcinoma of the Breast Developed in an Adenomyoepithelioma: A Case Report
Abdelilah Mouhsine,
Ahmed Belkouch,
ElMehdi Atmane,
Redouane Rokhssi,
Youssef Berrada,
Lahcen Belyamani,
M’barek Mahfoudi,
Abdelghani El Fikri
Issue:
Volume 2, Issue 5, September 2014
Pages:
109-111
Received:
1 September 2014
Accepted:
15 September 2014
Published:
20 September 2014
Abstract: Myoepithelial carcinoma of the breast is a rare tumor. We present the case of 58 year-old female. No local or distant metastases were found. Mastectomy with axillary dissection was performed followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Neither recurrence nor distant metastases were detected 12 months later. Clinical, radiological and macroscopic appearances of adenomyoepithelioma are not evocative. Diagnosis is based on histological and immunohistochemical studies. Treatment is not codified.
Abstract: Myoepithelial carcinoma of the breast is a rare tumor. We present the case of 58 year-old female. No local or distant metastases were found. Mastectomy with axillary dissection was performed followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Neither recurrence nor distant metastases were detected 12 months later. Clinical, radiological and macroscopic appe...
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Accuracy of Ultrasonography and Different CT Techniques in Diagnosis and Grading of Hepatic Steatosis in Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Patients
Manal Ezzat Badawy,
Mohamed Fouad Sherif,
Elsayed Tharwa
Issue:
Volume 2, Issue 5, September 2014
Pages:
112-118
Received:
27 August 2014
Accepted:
12 September 2014
Published:
30 September 2014
Abstract: Objective: This study aims to assess the diagnostic utility of ultrasonography and which methods of measuring attenuation on computed tomography scans is best for detection and grading of hepatic fat content in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Materials and Methods: This study included 65 patients, withchronic hepatitis C virus infection, who had liver biopsies as a part of pre-requirement for interferon therapy. All patients submitted to ultrasound; non enhanced and enhanced CT. Attenuation measurements were obtained from 3 regions of interest in the liver and three in the spleen on both unenhanced and portal phase contrast-enhanced CT images. Hepatic attenuation measurements were analyzed both with and without normalization with the spleen. Normalization included both differences and ratios between hepatic and splenic attenuation values. Average attenuation values of the liver were compared with pathologic fat content, as were the differences and ratios between hepatic and splenic attenuation values. Results: Ultrasound had a sensitivity of 76% and specificity 73.3% in the diagnosis of hepatic steatosis. Also ultrasound accurately graded 41 out of the 65 (63.1%) patients included in the study. The simple measurement of hepatic attenuation on non enhanced CT (CTL) had the best parameters for diagnosis of hepatic steatosis with sensitivity 83%, specificity 93.3% and positive predictive value (PPV) 97.6%. All series of R2 values for the unenhanced CT scans were higher than those for the contrast-enhanced images. The R2 values for simple liver attenuation measurement without comparison with splenic attenuation were higher than the values in which splenic measurements were considered. Conclusion: Ultrasound and non enhanced CT can be used as screening tools for detection of hepatic steatosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus patients. Simple measurement of hepatic attenuation on unenhanced CT is more accurate than differential liver spleen values. Also, unenhanced CT can differentiate between mild-moderate and severe steatosis.
Abstract: Objective: This study aims to assess the diagnostic utility of ultrasonography and which methods of measuring attenuation on computed tomography scans is best for detection and grading of hepatic fat content in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Materials and Methods: This study included 65 patients, withchronic hepatitis C vi...
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Characterization of Pancreas in Sudanese Population Using Computerized Tomography
Afraa Siddig Hassan,
Caroline Edward Ayad,
Tag Eldeen Mohammed Ebrahim,
Elsafi Ahmed Abdalla
Issue:
Volume 2, Issue 5, September 2014
Pages:
119-124
Received:
1 March 2014
Accepted:
9 May 2014
Published:
30 September 2014
Abstract: Normal pancreas has variable sizes therefore this study was conducted to define the normal pancreatic size and CT number for Sudanese to establish a local reference value. A total number of 241 Sudanese subjects were included in the study, 161 (66.8%) were males and 80 (33.2%) were females, their mean ages were 40.6 ± 16.1; all were examined using cross-sectional computerized tomography (CT) imaging for abdomen. The subject’s ages and gender were recorded and the body characteristics including height, weight, BMI, abdomen circumference (AC), were evaluated and correlated with pancreas size and CT number. This study revealed that the head of pancreas size was 27.9 ± 4.5 mm, the body was 23.1 ± 3.7mm, and tail was 19.0 ± 3.1mm, while the CT number (Hounsfield unit) was 59.1 ± 14, 57.3 ± 12.6 and 55.2 ± 13.1 respectively. Also the study showed a significant relation between the pancreas size, pancreas CT number, age, and AC at (p˂0.05).
Abstract: Normal pancreas has variable sizes therefore this study was conducted to define the normal pancreatic size and CT number for Sudanese to establish a local reference value. A total number of 241 Sudanese subjects were included in the study, 161 (66.8%) were males and 80 (33.2%) were females, their mean ages were 40.6 ± 16.1; all were examined using ...
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Role of Multi-Detector Computed Tomography Angiography in the Evaluation of Lower Limb Ischemia
Maged Abdelfattah Ali Algazzar,
Mohamed Salah Eldin Elzawawi,
Khaled El-Sayed Alhawary,
Waleed AbdelFattah Mousa
Issue:
Volume 2, Issue 5, September 2014
Pages:
125-130
Received:
17 July 2014
Accepted:
3 August 2014
Published:
30 September 2014
Abstract: Objective: To evaluate the value of MDCT Angiography in imaging the arterial tree of the lower limbs in peripheral vascular disease. Back-ground: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is defined as any pathologic process causing obstruction to blood flow in the arteries, exclusive of the coronary and cerebral vascular beds. Conventional angiography is associated with 1-2% rate of complications and requires highly skilled physician to perform it. Non-invasive imaging modalities include duplex ultrasonography, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), and multi-detector computed tomography angiography (MDCTA). Methods: This study includes 30 patients of variable ages, complaining from peripheral arterial disease manifestations referred to the radiology department of Menoufia University hospital. All patients underwent multi-detector row CT angiography of the lower limbs arteries. The findings were then analyzed and retrospectively compared with the surgical outcome in cases of operative intervention or Color Doppler correlation. Results: 120 lesions were detected in which 12 lesions (10%) were noted at the aortoiliac vessels, 33 lesions (27.5%) were noted at the femoropopliteal vessels in and 75 lesions (62.5%) were noted at the infrapopliteal vessels. No statistically significant difference between Doppler and CT angiography regarding all the anatomic segments of the arterial tree. Conclusion: Multi-detector CT angiography has demonstrated its efficacy as a promising new, fast, accurate, safe and a minimally-invasive imaging modality in cases of trauma with suspected arterial injuries and in cases of peripheral vascular diseases for diagnosis, grading and for preoperative evaluation. It can also replace color Doppler ultrasonography in many cases.
Abstract: Objective: To evaluate the value of MDCT Angiography in imaging the arterial tree of the lower limbs in peripheral vascular disease. Back-ground: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is defined as any pathologic process causing obstruction to blood flow in the arteries, exclusive of the coronary and cerebral vascular beds. Conventional angiography is ...
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