Euro-Myasthenia III

3.9 THE DIAGNOSTIC VALUE OF X-RAY AND CI IN PATIENTS WITH MG. D., N. PetroviB, G. Nadj, P. DjukiC, A. Vidakavik and V. RakoCeviC. Department of Neurology WCC, Dr Subotiba 6, 11000 Belgrade, YU.

This study evaluates the correlation among routine chest X--ray, computerized tomography (CT) and thymue pathology in patients with MG. We report the results of the examination in 29 patients (14 malee and 15 females) with MG. In all patients the diagnosis of MG wae made on the basis of typical history and signs, positive responees to pharmacological tests and electrophyeiolo- gical examination. In two patients there wae ocular and in the remaining patients generalized form of MG. Routine chest X-ray and CT of the mediasthinum preceeded thymectomy in all 29 patients. Six patients had thymoma, 13 thymic hyperplasia and 10 normal thymus tiesue. Out of 6 patients with thymoma X-ray correlated with the finding at surgery in only 2 patients (33%). Slight mediasthinal opacity was found in 2, and completely traneparent mediasthinum in next two patients. On the other hand CT correlated with thymue pathology in all 6 patients (100%). In the group of patients with thymic hyperplasia, X-ray revealed triangular soft-tissue mace in 7 patients (54%), whereas the mediasthinum was transparent in 6 patients (46%). In patients with normal thymus, X-ray correlated with thymic pathology in 6 patients (60%), while in 4 patients (40%) gave falce positive results. On the contrary CT wae normal in all 10 patients (100%). Very high correlation between CT and thymic pathology, especially in patients with thymoma suggests the usefulness of CT examination in all patients with MG, particularly in those who are considered to undergo a thymectomy.

3.10 MANAGEMENT AND GRAPHICAL PRESENTATION OF CLINICAL AND LABORATORY DATA IN PATIENTS WITH MYASTHENIA GRAVIS: A COMPUTER SYSTEM. J.B.M. Department of Neurology. University Hospital. PO BOX 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands. 1. Clinical problems in the management of the individual Myasthenia Gravis patient can be presentation of

simplified if a compact clinical and laboratory data is

available. quickly

Flexibility in the time domain is useful for the analysis of the effects of therapies. 2. Follow-up studies in a group of patients are most reliable if clinical scores are made without knowledge of laboratory parameters and if data are selected with strict criteria. Definition of such criteria in a soft-ware program warrants objectivity. Here a PC-developped data system is presented that meets both demands.

XIX