Urethrogram Revisited: A Pictorial Review.

Urological pathologies especially stricture urethra are a cause of significant morbidity and hence radiological evaluation of the same is of prime importance to determine the treatment protocol for each disease. A retrospective analysis of the conventional radiographic imaging findings of traumatic and nontraumatic lower urinary tract pathologies was done over a period of 5 years, and the case spectrum included urethral and bladder diverticulum, urethritis, posterior urethral valves, and fistulas (including urethra - perineal, rectourethral and vesicovaginal fistulas). The rarer nontraumatic pathologies were prostatic utricles, urethral polyps, bladder neck obstruction, hypospadias, anterior urethral valve, vesical calculus, etc., The traumatic case spectrum included cases of urethral injuries and intra/extraperitoneal bladder rupture. This pictorial assay reviews the need of retrograde urethrogram–micturating cystourethrogram for the evaluation of the anterior urethral, posterior urethral and bladder pathologies (traumatic and nontraumatic) and also describes each pathology with respect to etiology, diagnosis and imaging findings.

Rheumatological manifestations of leprosy.

Rheumatological manifestations are common in leprosy. A study was conducted among 30 patients to observe the prevalence and spectrum of rheumatological manifestations in leprosy. Seventeen patients were referred from leprosy clinic from 287 consecutive leprosy cases and 13 patients presented de novo at the rheumatology clinic and later diagnosed to have leprosy. In the first group, the most common manifestation was small and large joints polyarthritis resembling rheumatoid arthritis found in 64.7% cases and in the second group tenosynovitis (38.5%) was the commonest. Rheumatoid factor was positive in 60% cases.

Risk factor analysis in ischaemic stroke: a hospital-based study.

Stroke represents a major health burden in our country. Ischaemic stroke has got several risk factors associated with increased chance of atherosclerosis. A small hospital-based study was done to look into the risk factors associated with ischaemic stroke. Forty patients with CT-confirmed cerebral infarction were taken for the study and detailed history and clinical findings were obtained. Investigations like complete haemogram, fasting blood glucose, urea, creatinine, lipid profile, serum Lp(a), homocysteine, fibrinogen, ECG, chest x-ray, echocardiography, MRI/MRA where indicated, were done to identify the risk factors as well. Results indicated that hypertension was the most prevalent (87.5%) risk factor followed by ischaemic heart disease (35%) and diabetes. Dyslipidaemia was also found in a significant number of cases, mostly elevated LDL, low HDL and elevated Lp(a). Fibrinogen and homocysteine were of less significance.