Marek K. Jurkowski

Stem cells as therapy for cardiac disease - a review.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of the most significant causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Stem cells represent an enormous chance to rebuild damaged heart tissue. Correct definition of the cardiac progenitors is necessary to understand heart development, and would pave the way for the use of cardiac progenitors in the treatment of heart disease. Identifying, purifying and differentiating native cardiac progenitor cells are indispensable if we are to overcome congenital and adult cardiac diseases. To understand their functions, physiology and action, cells are tested in animal models, and then in clinical trials. But because clinical trials yield variable results, questions about proper cardiac stem cells remain unanswered. Transplanted stem cells release soluble factors, acting in a paracrine fashion, which contributes to cardiac regeneration. Cytokines and growth factors have cytoprotective and neovascularizing functions, and may activate resident cardiac stem cells. Understanding all these mechanisms is crucial to overcoming heart diseases.

An assessment of computed tomography laser mammography in breast cancer diagnosis

1 Department of Radiology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland 2 Department of Radiology, Center of Oncology Institute, Gliwice Branch, Poland 3 Department of PET Diagnostics, Center of Oncology Institute, Gliwice Branch, Poland 4 Tumor Pathology Department, Center of Oncology Institute, Gliwice Branch, Poland 5 Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland 6 Department of Medical Physics, Center of Oncology Institute, Gliwice Branch, Poland

Ocena przydatności obrazowania dyfuzji metodą rezonansu magnetycznego w diagnostyce różnicowej łagodnych i złośliwych zmian ogniskowych w wątrobie

Introduction. Despite the use of multiple diagnostic imaging techniques, a non-invasive differential diagnosis of focal lesions in the liver is still a challenging task. It is even more significant, considering the risk of complications related to liver biopsy. On the other hand, the availability of non-invasive radiological and diagnostic imaging methods has resulted in the increased detectability of incidental hepatic lesions. Therefore, further investigation of newer and more effective methods of differentiating benign from malignant hepatic lesions is extremely useful. The aim of the study was to assess the diagnostic value of Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DW MRI) in differentiating benign from malignant focal lesions in the liver. Material and methods. Fifty one patients with hepatic lesions detected by magnetic resonance (MR) examination were enrolled in the study. Each lesion was then verified histopathologically, cytologically, or by observation. Ninety five (71 malignant and 24 benign) hepatic focal lesions were analysed. Apart from a standard MR liver examination, an echo planar imaging spin echo diffusion weighted sequence was performed, with a slice thickness of 5 or 6 mm. The maximal b-value was 1000 s/mm 2 and the minimal 0 s/mm 2 .In the study, the following were assessed: the presence of restricted diffusion, an absolute ADC (apparent diffusion coefficient) value, the decrease of signal intensity in DW MRI with an increase in the b-value. Results. Confirming or ruling out the restricted diffusion is usually the first effective step in differentiating benign from malignant hepatic lesions, as indicated in the study results. In the material analysed, the diffusion restriction occurred statistically significantly more frequently in malignant (87.3 %) compared to benign lesions (12.5%), (p 1.04 × 10 -3 mm2/s to be benign and lesions with ADC value ≤ 1.04 × 10 -3 mm 2 /s to be malignant, 75.8% lesions were correctly classified. Conclusions. The results obtained indicate that restricted diffusion, as a marker for malignant lesions, has the highest value in DW MRI in differentiating benign from malignant lesions in the liver.