MR Imaging Findings of the Pituitary Gland in Patients with Transfusional Hemochromatosis: Two Case Reports

Hemochromatosis is a disorder caused by excessive iron deposition in parenchymal cells that leads to cellular damage and organ dysfunction. The excessive iron overload of secondary hemochromatosis is associated with chronic disorders of erythropoiesis that are treated with prolonged repeated blood transfusions. We experienced two cases of transfusional hemochromatosis involving the pituitary gland, and we report the findings of the MR imaging.

CT Findings of the Osteoma of the External Auditory Canal

PURPOSE: We wanted to report the CT image findings of the osteoma of the external auditory canal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Temporal bone CT scanning was performed on eight patients (4 males and 4 females aged between 8 and 41 years) with pathologically proven osteoma of the external auditory canal after operation, and the findings of the CT scanning were retrospectively reviewed. Not only did we analyze the size, shape, distribution and location of the osteomas, we also analyzed the relationship between the lesion and the tympanosqumaous or tympanomastoid suture line, and the changes seen on the CT scan images for the patients who were able to undergo follow-up. RESULTS: All the lesions of the osteoma of the external auditory canal were unilateral, solitary, pedunculated bony masses. In five patients, the osteomas occurred on the left side and for the other three patients, the osteomas occurred on the right side. The average size of the osteoma was 0.6 cm with the smallest being 0.5 cm and the largest being 1.2 cm. Each of the lesions was located at the osteochondral junction in the terminal part of the osseous external ear canal. The stalk of the osteoma of the external auditory canal was found to have occurred in the anteroinferior wall in five cases (63%), in the anterosuperior wall (the tympanosqumaous suture line) in two cases (25%), and in the anterior wall in one case. The osteoma of the external auditory canal was a compact form in five cases and it was a cancellous form in three cases. One case of the cancellous form was changed into a compact form 35 months later due to the advanced ossification. CONCLUSION: Osteoma of the external auditory canal developed in a unilateral and solitary fashion. The characteristic image findings show that it is attached to the external auditory canal by its stalk. Unlike our common knowledge about its occurrence, osteoma mostly occurred in the tympanic wall, and this is regardless of the tympanosquamous or tympanomastoid suture line.

Normal Appendix in Adults: MDCT Findings about the Location, Thickness and the Presence or Absence of Intraluminal Gas

PURPOSE: We wanted to examine the usefulness of multi-detector CT (MDCT) with multiplanar reformations for evaluating the location, thickness and the presence or absence of intraluminal gas in the normal appendix of adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From December 2004 to June 2005, we evaluated normal appendices in 427 consecutive adult patients who were scanned with 16-slice MDCT. All these patients had no clinical findings of appendicitis. There were 251 men and 176 women. The age range was 19-84 years (mean age: 55 years). The contrast-enhanced MDCT scans during the portal phase were obtained with 0.75 mm detector collimation and they were reviewed with using the multiplanar reconstruction images (3 mm section thickness). The MDCT images of normal appendices on a PACS monitor were retrospectively analyzed. We analyzed the location, thickness and the presence or absence of intraluminal gas by consensus of two abdominal radiologists. The positions of normal appendices were classified as type I (postileal and medial paracecal), type II (subcecal), type III (retrocecal and retrocolic or laterocolic), type IV (preileal and medial colic) and type V (lower pelvic cavity). RESULTS: The five types of appendiceal locations were as follows; type I (n=187; 44%), type II (n=78; 18 %), type III (n=92; 22%), type IV (n=39; 9%) and type V (n=31; 7%). The appendiceal tips in 29 cases (7%) were unusually located in the right subhepatic space, the small bowel mesentery and the right adnexa. The mean thickness of 427 appendices was 5.8+/-0.9 mm (range: 3.8-9.2 mm). The appendiceal mean thickness was 5.9+/-0.9 mm in men and 5.7+/-0.9 mm in women (p < 0.05). 384 (90%) of 427 appendices had intraluminal gas and 43 (10%) had no intraluminal gas, and their mean thickness was 5.9 mm (range: 3.8-9.2 mm) and 5.3 mm (3.8-7.3 mm), respectively (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: MDCT with multiplanar reformations was useful for evaluating the location, thickness and the presence or absence of intraluminal gas in normal appendix of adults. These MDCT findings may be helpful in diagnosing equivocal appendicitis or appendicitis with unusual location.

Neuronal Intestinal Dysplasia in an Infant: Case Report

Neuronal intestinal dysplasia in pediatric patients has similar clinical symptoms and often similar radiologic findings to those of Hirschsprung's disease. Yet neuronal intestinal dysplasia shows hyperplasia of the myenteric plexus for the pathology, and it requires different treatment compared with Hirschsprung disease. This disease has been reported many times in Europe but, to date, only one case has been reported in the radiologic literatures in Korea. We report here on a case of neuronal intestinal dysplasia that involved the entire colon in a two-month-old boy, and we include the radiographic findings.

Neuronal Intestinal Dysplasia in an Infant: Case Report

Neuronal intestinal dysplasia in pediatric patients has similar clinical symptoms and often similar radiologic findings to those of Hirschsprung's disease. Yet neuronal intestinal dysplasia shows hyperplasia of the myenteric plexus for the pathology, and it requires different treatment compared with Hirschsprung disease. This disease has been reported many times in Europe but, to date, only one case has been reported in the radiologic literatures in Korea. We report here on a case of neuronal intestinal dysplasia that involved the entire colon in a two-month-old boy, and we include the radiographic findings.