Browsing by Author "Colic, Nikola (57201737908)"

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to describe the severity of the radiographic findings of COVID-19 over time and to assess their correlation with the duration of symptoms prior to admission, CT scores, and disease severity. Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients with COVID-19 confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and CXR who were admitted at the university hospital was performed between March 25 and 30 April 2020. Baseline and serial CXRs were reviewed, along with onset and disease time courses. Correlations between CXR scores and CT scores, durations of symptoms and disease severity were evaluated; and also between regression times and disease severity. Results: Of 208 total patients, there were 33 mild (15.9%), 103 moderate (49.5%), and 72 severe-critical (34.6%) cases. The most frequent symptoms were fever, cough, fatigue, and dyspnea. Dyspnea was more frequent in patients with severe and critical disease (p < 0.001). The duration of symptoms experienced prior to admission was longer in patients with severe and critical disease than in moderate cases (p < 0.05). Abnormalities on CXR were present on admission in 83.2% patients, with reticulations being the most common finding. CXR scores correlated with duration of symptoms prior to admission and CT scores (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively). The median radiographic score of the severe-critical-type group was significantly higher than the moderate type (p < 0.001) and regression time correlated with disease severity (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our study showed that despite the limitations, CXR remains a very important tool for diagnosing and managing patients with COVID-19. © The Author(s) 2021.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to describe the severity of the radiographic findings of COVID-19 over time and to assess their correlation with the duration of symptoms prior to admission, CT scores, and disease severity. Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients with COVID-19 confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and CXR who were admitted at the university hospital was performed between March 25 and 30 April 2020. Baseline and serial CXRs were reviewed, along with onset and disease time courses. Correlations between CXR scores and CT scores, durations of symptoms and disease severity were evaluated; and also between regression times and disease severity. Results: Of 208 total patients, there were 33 mild (15.9%), 103 moderate (49.5%), and 72 severe-critical (34.6%) cases. The most frequent symptoms were fever, cough, fatigue, and dyspnea. Dyspnea was more frequent in patients with severe and critical disease (p < 0.001). The duration of symptoms experienced prior to admission was longer in patients with severe and critical disease than in moderate cases (p < 0.05). Abnormalities on CXR were present on admission in 83.2% patients, with reticulations being the most common finding. CXR scores correlated with duration of symptoms prior to admission and CT scores (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively). The median radiographic score of the severe-critical-type group was significantly higher than the moderate type (p < 0.001) and regression time correlated with disease severity (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our study showed that despite the limitations, CXR remains a very important tool for diagnosing and managing patients with COVID-19. © The Author(s) 2021.

Introduction: Pleurocutaneous fistula is a pathological communication of subcutaneous tissue with the pleural cavity, and can occur as a result of infectious, malignant processes and iatrogenic procedures. Colopleural fistula is rare and is mainly caused by processes in the abdomen. The appearance of empyema is usually described as a complication of colopleural fistulas that are the result of pathological processes in the abdomen. Case Presentation: We report an extremely rare case of colopleurocutaneous fistula with pleural empyema present, 8 years after left hemicolectomy due to colon adenocarcinoma. Radiological diagnostic procedures performed confirmed the existence of colopleurocutaneous fistula. The patient was given antibiogram therapy and regular thoracocentesis for empyema, as well as a fistulous canal toilet. Conclusions: After achieving sterility of the fistulous canal and regression of empyema, the fistulous canal was closed with fibrin glue, and during the next 6 months follow-up, there was no reopening of the fistula, nor did the patient have any other complications. Copyright © 2025 Savic et al.

Background and Objectives: Lung cancer is the second most common form of cancer in the world for both men and women as well as the most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The aim of this study is to summarize the radiological characteristics between primary lung adenocarcinoma subtypes and to correlate them with FDG uptake on PET-CT. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 102 patients with pathohistologically confirmed lung adenocarcinoma. A PET-CT examination was performed on some of the patients and the values of SUVmax were also correlated with the histological and morphological characteristics of the masses in the lungs. Results: The results of this analysis showed that the mean size of AIS-MIA (adenocarcinoma in situ and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma) cancer was significantly lower than for all other cancer types, while the mean size of the acinar cancer was smaller than in the solid type of cancer. Metastases were significantly more frequent in solid adenocarcinoma than in acinar, lepidic, and AIS-MIA cancer subtypes. The maximum standardized FDG uptake was significantly lower in AIS-MIA than in all other cancer types and in the acinar predominant subtype compared to solid cancer. Papillary predominant adenocarcinoma had higher odds of developing contralateral lymph node involvement compared to other types. Solid adenocarcinoma was associated with higher odds of having metastases and with higher SUVmax. AIS-MIA was associated with lower odds of one unit increase in tumor size and ipsilateral lymph node involvement. Conclusions: The correlation between histopathological and radiological findings is crucial for accurate diagnosis and staging. By integrating both sets of data, clinicians can enhance diagnostic accuracy and determine the optimal treatment plan. © 2024 by the authors.

Introduction: Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disease characterised by arterious and venous thrombosis, miscarriage, and the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) in the blood. As we know, APS is also characterised by accelerated atherosclerotic degeneration with an increased risk of thrombosis in all blood vessels, including the carotid arteries. Carotid artery stenosis can manifest in many different ways. The aim of this study is to present the results of our multidetector computerised tomography angiography (MDCTA) analysis of the carotid arteries in patients with primary and secondary APS compared with a control group. Materials and Methods: This study examined 50 patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS) and 50 patients with secondary antiphospholipid syndrome (SAPS). The results were compared with a control group also comprising 50 patients. The groups were analysed with respect to age, sex and the presence of well-established risk factors for vascular disease. The study was conducted using MDCTA, where we analysed the quantitative and qualitative (morphologic) characteristics of carotid artery lesions. Results: Patients from the control group had significantly elevated levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in comparison with patients with PAPS and SAPS (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05). The results show that carotid artery lesions were significantly more common in patients with APS (PAPS, n = 40, CI95: 0.50–0.75, p = 0.0322 and SAFS, n = 54, CI95: 0.59–0.80, p = 0.0004) than within the control group (n = 23). There was a statistically significant difference between patients with APS and the control group with respect to lesions in the distal segments (n = 27, CI95: 0.67–0.95, p = 0.0001), bulbi and proximal segments (n = 21, CI95: 0.84–1.00, p = 0.000005). The number of patients with one lesion (L) (n = 27) was significantly greater than the number of those with three (n = 10, CI95: 0.56–0.86, p = 0.0051) or four (n = 3, CI95: 0.73–0.98, p = 0.00001) lesions. There were also more patients with two lesions (n = 24) than those with four (n = 3) (CI95: 0.71–0.97, p = 0.00005). Carotid artery stenosis was shown as a percentage of the carotid artery lumen diameter (%DS). Stenosis of up to 30%, was more common in patients in the PAPS group (n = 12) than in the control group (n = 3) (CI95: 0.52–0.96, p = 0.0201), while the SAPS group (n = 17) had an even larger disparity (CI95: 0.62–0.97, p = 0.0017). We observed a highly significant difference in the frequency of stenoses between 30% and 50% DS between the PAPS group (n = 24) and the control group (n = 7) (CI95: 0.59–0.90, p = 0.0023), as well as the SAPS group (n = 30) (CI95: 0.65–0.92, p = 0.0002). A qualitative analysis of plaque morphology revealed that patients with PAPS had significantly more soft tissue lesions (n = 23) compared with calcified lesions (n = 2) (CI95: 0.74–0.99, p = 0.00003), as well as more mixed plaques (n = 9) and calcified plaques (n = 2) (CI95: 0.48–0.98, p = 0.0348). Patients within the SAPS group had significantly more soft tissue (n = 35) than calcified lesions (n = 3) (CI95: 0.79–0.98, p = 0.00000021), as well as more mixed lesions (n = 21) compared with calcified (n = 3) (CI95: 0.68–0.97, p = 0.0002). Conclusions: Our study shows that subclinical manifestations of carotid artery lesions were more common in patients with APS. We came to the conclusion that MDCTA is an accurate diagnostic method because it is a safe method that provides us with a great quantity of accurate information about the characteristics of atheromatous plaques, which aids us in the further planning of treatment for patients with APS. © 2023 by the authors.

Aim. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of thoracic sonography in treatment of pleural effusions and to identify sonographic indicators for surgical intervention. Materials and Methods. This study included 378 patients with pleural effusions. US characteristics of effusions as the echo structure and pleural thickening were analyzed. Regarding the US finding, the diagnostic or therapeutic procedure was performed. Results. The study included 267 male and 111 female patients, an average of 56.7 years. Infection was the most frequent cause of effusion. Two hundred sixty-nine patients had loculated and 109 free pleural effusion. Most frequent echo structure of loculated effusion was complex septate, whereas free effusion was mostly anechoic. Successful obtaining of the pleural fluid without real-time guidance was in 88% and under real-time guidance in 99% patients (p < 0.012). There was no significant difference in success rate between free and loculated effusion and regarding the echo structure (p = 0.710 and 0.126, respectively). Complete fluid removal after serial thoracentesis or drainage was achieved in 86% patients. Forty-five patients with significantly thicker pleural peel and impairment of the diaphragmatic function than remaining of the group (p < 0.001) underwent surgery. Open thoracotomy and decortication was more frequently performed in patients with completely fixed diaphragm and complex, dominantly septated effusions. There is no significant difference in US parameters comparing to patients underwent VATS, but the number of VATS is too small for valid conclusion. Conclusion. Thoracic sonography is a very useful tool in the evaluation of clinical course and treatment options in patients with pleural effusions of a different origin. Copyright © 2018 Ruza Stevic et al.