REPORT BACI< RSSA Congress levovist presentations September 99 Dr Pat Morton, consultant radiologist, City Park Hospital, Cape Town, presented his findings on the use of Levovist for the detection of cancer in the prostate gland. He described his experience with endorectal ultrasound of the prostate and the difficulties in detecting early cancer. He demonstrated his technique for using Levovist to improve the specificity of the examination. As the product enhances the vascularity of solid organs, such as the prostate, focal lesions are more easily detected after its administration. The optimum enhancement is attained with a slow infusion of Levovist over 2 to 3 minutes while scanning. This requires an assistant or an injector pump. Dr Morton believes that the product improves the sensitivity of the examination in difficult cases, however the examination takes longer to perform. Professor Corr, radiologist from King Edward Hospital, Durban and the University of Natal presented his work on the applications of Levovist for improving the specificity of liver lesions, the detection of portal vein patency and renal artery stenosis. Levovist is useful to improve the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound examinations of the liver when focal cancer and inflammatory disease is suspected. Levovist can reliably differentiate hypervascular focal lesions such as hepatoma from hypovascular metastases and abscesses. It is very useful in difficult cases where portal vein stenosis or occlusion is suspected, and greatly improves detection of renovascular stenosis in difficult cases with suboptimal visualisation of the renal arteries. Both presenters felt more local research was required and the cost effectiveness of the use of Levovist must be assessed compared to other investigations such as MR and CT. Peter Corr Department of Radiology, University of Natal The Past - Rad iography in South Africa before 1899 20. From our special correspondent. Lancet 1899; 2:1558. 21. The Royal Navy and Army medical services report. BMI 1899; 2:1450-1552. 22. MacCormac W. The war in South Africa. Notes from Sir William MacCormac. Lancet 1900; 1: 403-405. 23. Royal Navy and Army services. Lancet 1900; 1:795. 24. Watson A. NO.6 General Hospital, Johannesburg. BMI 1901; 1:946. 25. Royal Navy and Army medical services. BMI 1900; 1:538. 26. Hall Edwards J. The Roentgen rays in South Africa. Lancet 1901; 1:1755-1556. 27. Report of the Committee of the Portland hospital. London John Murray. 1901. 28. Field Force - Service Abroad South Africa. Lancet 1900; 1: 724. 29. Briggs EC. The staff work of the Anglo-Boer !Var 1899-1902. London. Grant Richards 1901.pp219-225. frampage 19 14. Transvaal Archival Depot. Pretoria. (RK 18, pp151-152) (RK 18 p 128) (RK53 pp 114-116). 15. Algemeen Rijksargief The Hague, Col/ectie Bas Veth. 88-97. File 90(K). 16. Hall Edwards, J. The Roentgen rays in military surgery. BMI 1899; 2: 1391. 17. Stevenson WF (ed). (1905) Report on the surgical cases noted in the South African War. London, Harrison. pp 275-276. 18. Hall Edwards J. The x-rays in South Africa. Lancet 1901; 2: 130-131. 19. McCormack W. (1899) The war in South Africa. Notes from Sir William MacCormac. Lancet 1899; 2:1755-1757. 32 SA JOURNAL OF RADIOLOGY. January 2000 30. Douglas ARJ & Williamson H. Surgical report in: The Imperial Yeomanry Hospitals in South Africa. 1900- 1902. Ed. The Countess Howe. London. Arthur Humphreys. 1902. Vo13, 243. 31. Hall Edwards J. Report of the x-ray department in: The Imperial Yeomanry Hospitals in South Africa. 1900- ]902. Ed. The Countess Howe. London. Arthur Humphreys. 1902. VoI3,90-104. 32. Report of the Edinburgh and East of Scotland South African Hospital. Ed. Wallace 0 and Boyd FD. Edinburgh Oliver and Boyd. 1901. 33. Report of the British Central Red Cross Committee on voluntary organisations in aid of the sick and wounded during the South African war. London: HMSO, 1902. 34. The American Hospital Ship. BM] 1899; 2: 1761.