Background: Thyroid nodules are very common in clinical practice. Although most of thyroid nodules are benign, it is crucial to checkout which nodules are more likely to be malignant. Ultrasound is a major diagnostic tool for screening and evaluating thyroid diseases because it is safe, non-invasive, non-radioactive and effective.
Objective: The aim is to identify the role of ultrasound in assessing thyroid nodules and to review various ultrasound criteria predicting malignancy.
Patients and methods: A case series study conducted during the period from January 2015 to February 2016 at the First Surgical Unit, Department of Surgery, Baghdad Teaching Hospital by a team of surgeons. One hundred eighty Patients who underwent surgical intervention for nodular thyroid disease were included in the study. The ultrasound features of these patients were analyzed with respect to the number of nodules (solitary or multiple), size, echogenicity, consistency, the presence of calcification, border definition, vascular pattern and whether there was lymphadenopathy and / or local invasion to adjacent structures. The final diagnosis was confirmed by histopathological examination after surgery. The ultrasound features of thyroid nodules were studied for their correlation with benign and malignant lesions.
Results: Among 180 patients with nodular thyroid disease, thyroid malignancy was found in 22 (12.2%) patients. Ultrasound features of thyroid nodules included significant echogenicity, consistency, calcification, border definition, vascular pattern and the presence of local invasion. Ultrasound features suggesting malignant nodules are solid and hypoechoic nodules, ill-defined borders, nodules with local invasion to adjacent structures, the presence of microcalcification and nodules that show increased vascularity on doppler study.
Conclusion: Ultrasound is useful in evaluating nodular thyroid disease and is valuable for identifying many malignant and potentially malignant nodules. Despite that, no single ultrasound feature is reliable in making the diagnosis of thyroid malignancy, combining ultrasound suggestive criteria could aid in predicting malignant nature of a given nodule.
The aim: to evaluate combined microscopy techniques for determining the morphological and optical properties of methadone hydrochloride (MDN) crystals. Materials and methods: MDN crystal formation was optimized using a closed container method and crystals were characterized using polarized light microscope (PLM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal microscopy (CM). SEM and CM were used to determine MDN crystal thickness and study its relationship with crystal retardation colours using the Michel-Levy Birefringence approach. Results: Dimensions (mean±SD) of diamond shaped MDN crystals were confirmed using SEM and CM. Crystals were 46.4±15.2 Vs 32.0±8.3 µm long, 28.03±8.2 Vs 20.85±5.5 µm wide, and 6.62±
... Show MoreThe study investigated the behaviour of asphalt concrete mixes for aggregate gradations, according to the Iraqi specification using the Bailey method designed by an Excel spreadsheet. In mixing aggregates with varying gradations (coarse and fine aggregate), The Bailey method is a systematic methodology that offers aggregate interlocking as the backbone of the framework and a controlled gradation to complete the blends. Six types of gradation are used according to the bailey method considered in this study. Two-course prepared Asphalt Concrete Wearing and Asphalt Concrete binder, the Nominal Maximum Aggregate Sizes (NMAS) of the mixtures are 19 and 12.5 mm, respectively. The total number of specimens was 240 for both layers (15 samp
... Show MoreObjectives. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of nonnutritive sucking habits on the presence of oral Escherichia coli. Methods. One hundred and twenty children aged 3–5 years old were enrolled in the present case-control study, as follows: 60 children with continuous pacifier and thumb sucking habits (study group) and 60 children without any sucking habits (control group). The children in the two groups were matched in terms of age and gender. Information was gathered from the parents concerning their children using a special sheet. Sterile swabs were taken from both groups and cultured on agar plates. Then, they were subjected to further biochemical tests to identify E. coli species. The mean of the E. coli count was determ
... Show MoreMotives: Baghdad is the capital city and an important political, administrative, social, cultural and economic centre of Iraq. Baghdad’s growth and development has been significantly influenced by efforts to accommodate various needs of its steadily growing population. Uncontrolled population and urban growth have exerted negative effects in numerous dimensions, including environmental sustainability because urban expansion occurred in green spaces within the city and the surrounding areas.Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the planning solutions in Baghdad’s green areas in the past and at present, and to identify the key changes in the city’s green areas, including changes in the ratio of green urban spaces to the tota
... Show MoreThe study effect irradiation on optical properties of film (PVA: CuCL2) prepared by casting method, with thickness of (30±1) μm. And used Cs137 to obtained Gamma ray with energy (662)keV and time irradiation(5,6 and 7) weeks and affectivity (4.3) ci. The spectra absorbance and transmittance register in range (300-1100) nm .
Results show that the optical band gap for (PVA: CuCl2) decreasing after irradiation with gamma ray from (3.2,3.1,3 and 2.7)eV, urbach energy values increase with the increasing time radiation. And the absorption constants (α,k,n,) and the optical conductivity are changing after irradiated with gamma ray .
Free cement refractory concrete is a type of refractory concrete with replacing alumina cement by bonding materials such as white kaolin, red kaolin and fumed silica. The free cement refractory concrete used in many applications like Petrochemicals, iron furnaces and cement production industries. The research clarifies the effect of steel fibers with two types crimped steel fibers and hooked steel
fibers with percentages 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% by volume from weight of bauxite aggregates. The additions of steel fibers with two types gave good properties in high temperatures where the specimens keep the dimension without failure and the properties made the best. the percentage of increasing for thermal conductivity was 44% for 1.5% crimped