n order to assess gall-bladder (GB) motility in obese patients, we measured by ultrasound the GB fasting volume (FV) in 45 women (23 obese, 22 controls) and 43 men (21 obese, 22 controls). The FV was larger in obese women (45.9 +/- 21.6 cm3) than in controls (26.6 +/- 10.7 cm3) (P less than 0.001), and also in obese men (39.2 +/- 20.2 vs. 23.8 +/- 9.9 cm3) (P less than 0.01). In obese women, GB FV correlated with relative body weight. No correlation

Objectives: To study gall bladder motility in liver cirrhosis to determine whether the increased incidence of gallstones in cirrhotic patients is related to diminished gall bladder contractility. Design: A prospective ultrasound evaluation of gall bladder emptying in patients with liver cirrhosis and in controls. Patients: The study included 27 cirrhotic patients (13 women and 14 men) and 27 controls (13 women and 14 men) without gall bladder disease

Obesity is a rather documented risk factor for the formation of gallstones (GS) in women. The magnitude of the increased risk and the rates of GS occurrence, however, have not been well quantified, except for two studies on the risk of symptomatic stones in obese women. We analyzed the incidence of GS in 157 moderately obese women (body mass index, 31.4 ± 3.6 kg/ m2) followed up prospectively by ultrasound for 2-6 yr (mean 3.95 yr). Women with morbid

Non-invasive, image based detection of diseases is one of the most important issues in the nowadays research of biomedical images, because it prevents from some serious problems, that could be generated by the invasive techniques and could be dangerous for the patients. Texture is a fundamental visual property of the tissue providing a lot of information concerning its pathological state. Thus, we developed specific methods for texture analysis and

Ultrasound imaging monitor of tumor angiogenesis and vascular evolution under chemotherapy is a major preoccupation in oncology medicine, where, combined with the practical experience of the medical personnel, dedicated software tools play a vital role. In this paper we present a software application with the purpose to assist specialized medical personnel to locate and classify tumors, based on ultrasound images and quantitative evaluation of angiogenesis

Hepatic steatosis is a frequently encountered disease in medical practice and it has a great importance due to the potential evolution towards cirrhosis. The clinical and laboratory evaluation has a quite reduced positive predictive value; on the other hand, a series of imagistic techniques may be used for the diagnosis and quantification of these diseases: magnetic resonance imaging, computerized tomography, and not least, ultrasonography. In this

Neoplasic diseases are widely recognized as extremely disabling, requiring in advanced stages a large amount of medical, technical, and financial support and, eventually, leading to death. This is why it is recommended to early diagnose them, gaining time for proper care and/or cure. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of these neoplasic diseases, accomplishing the requirements to become the target of a close surveillance: it is a frequent condition;

This paper presents a software application that allows the management and analysis of the multimodal parameters used in early diagnosis of prostate cancer. The information system includes a complex medical database, containing clinical, histological, biological, and imaging parameters, and a dedicated software tool for prostate ultrasound image processing and analysis

Radial endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is used in pancreatic pathology for diagnosing such diseases as: chronic pancreatitis, cancer of the pancreas, neuroendocrine tumors, and the non-inflammatory cyst lesions of the pancreas. For diagnosing chronic pancreatitis, the use of more than four criteria of endoscopic diagnosis offers a high diagnostic accuracy. In the case of tumors of the pancreas, EUS detects small-size tumors, having a major diagnostic

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic diseases of the digestive system, comprising ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD). Diagnosis is based on the endoscopic, contrast radiological and histopathological examinations. Ultrasonography is a noninvasive, repetitive, low cost imaging method and at present it is considered that its use can be a first intention examination in patients with symptoms of IBD, having the role to direct