2026-03-09
Pasqualina Maria Picciotti, Giorgia Rossi, Anna Rita Fetoni, Rolando Rolesi, Jacopo Galli
Objective . The Niigata persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) Questionnaire (NPQ), developed by Yagi et al. in 2019, assesses the severity of PPPD. Initially available in English, it was later adapted into Spanish, German, and Indian versions. This study aimed to validate the NPQ in Italian to provide a reliable tool for assessing severity of PPPD. Materials and methods. Fifty PPPD patients (21 men, 29 women; aged 49-73) meeting diagnostic criteria were enrolled. Cross-cultural adaptation followed a standardised protocol with input from bilingual specialists and an expert committee. The questionnaire was administered during clinical evaluation and re-administered after one month, prior to treatment. Internal consistency and test–retest reliability were analysed using Cronbach’s alpha and Pearson’s correlation coefficients. Results . Internal consistency was excellent (α = 0.95). Pearson’s correlation exceeded 0.80 for total, posture/gait, movement, and visual stimulation scores. Concordance for concentration was also high (0.999; 95% CI: 0.999-0.999). Conclusions . The Italian NPQ is a valid and reliable instrument for quantifying PPPD severity. It can assist clinicians in diagnosis and follow-up, supporting monitoring of disease progression and effectiveness of treatment.
2026-03-09
Luca Calabrese, Luca Gazzini, Marta Tagliabue, Enrico Fazio, Guglielmo Ronzani, Roberto Bruschini, Valeria Navach, Valentina Camesasca, Mohssen Ansarin, Monir Abousiam
Objective . Neck management in oral cancer is crucial, as regional involvement strongly affects survival. Elective dissection leaves out 10% of recurrences, mainly at levels IV-V or contralateral. Sentinel node biopsy is a different strategy to detect unexpected lymphatic drainage. Our aim is to develop a tumour-specific lymphatic mapping approach for locally-advanced cN0 tongue cancers by combining scintigraphy biopsy with indocyanine green (ICG) guidance. Methods . In this multicentre prospective pilot study lymphatic drainage was evaluated preoperatively using scintigraphy and intraoperatively with ICG fluorescence. Bilateral neck dissection was first performed removing ICG enhancing nodes, then those identified by gamma probe and lastly the remaining ones. Results . Nine patients were enrolled. Robbin’s levels mostly enhanced were IB-IIA-III (83%), followed by level IV (66%), IIB (50%) and IA (33%). The ICG method showed a sensitivity of 100%, a positive predictive value of 47% compared to lymphoscintigraphy and of 6.3% compared to metastatic nodes. A negative predictive value of 100% was observed by both. Conclusions . A tailored lymphography-guided neck dissection could provide an effective lymphatic mapping with any individual variation allowing to overcome the limitations of sentinel biopsy and pitfalls associated with traditional elective treatment.
2026-03-09
Daniele Monzani, Carlotta Liberale, Erika Segato, Valerio Arietti, Valeria Caragli, Luca Sacchetto, Riccardo Nocini, Viscardo Paolo Fabbri, Giovanna Attolini, Albino Eccher, Silvia Palma
Salivary gland tumours represent about 3-10% of head and neck tumours, with the parotid gland being the most affected. The World Health Organization classification of these tumours is continually evolving due to their diverse histology and biological behaviour. Haemangiopericytoma (HPC) and solitary fibrous tumour (SFT) have been reclassified as a single entity characterised by NAB2-STAT6 gene rearrangement, typically presenting as slow-growing, painless masses in the parotid region, and immunohistochemistry is essential for diagnosis. This study aims to examine the clinical characteristics of these tumours to better understand their biological behaviour. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we reviewed the literature using the search string (haemangiopericytoma), OR (solitary fibrous tumor) AND (parotid gland). Of the initially collected 201 papers, 49 were selected for detailed analysis, focusing on data from 53 patients, all of whom underwent surgery. Of these patients, 11.3% (n = 6) were diagnosed with malignancy, while 3 more were suspected to have malignancy. Our findings suggest that SFT morphology predominates among lesions, but malignancy is more often associated with features of HPC. Further comprehensive study is needed to gather additional data on their biological behaviour.
2026-01-15
Luciano Bubbico, Federica Di Berardino, Giorgia Pugliese, Valeria Caragli, Salvatore Ferlito, Elisabetta Genovese, Diego Zanetti, Luca Cegolon, Lorenzo Pignataro
Objective . With the rise in life expectancy and increased age-related hearing loss (ARHL), audiological assessment is essential to enable prevention of cognitive decay associated with social isolation. This study evaluates audiological services in Italy to support future research, prevention strategies, and public health policies. Methods . We analysed national audiological service data in Italy from 2021 to 2023, focusing on the use of pure-tone and speech audiometry. Service provision was examined in relation to population size, estimated ARHL prevalence, and availability of specialised personnel. Results . The number of pure tone audiometry tests rose from 634,996 in 2021 to 790,245 in 2023; speech audiometry tests increased from 179,279 to 230,008, respectively. The national prevalence of pure-tone and speech audiometry tests performed in 2023 was 1340.1 x 100,000 and 390 x 100,000, respectively. Delivery of audiometry tests varied by area, with the North-East exhibiting the highest prevalence of speech audiometry tests in 2023, whereas pure tone tests were more more prevalent in the North-West of the country. The availability of audiology professionals was limited, with a just 2.16 consultant medical audiologists and 1.82 technicians per 100,000 residents. Conclusions . The supply of audiology tests perfomed in Italy during 2021-2023 was insufficient to meet the growing demand for hearing assessments among the aging population. However, the effectiveness of any screening audiological programme depends not only on the availability of well-trained specialists, but also on effective education programmes for the general population.