FNAC and transabdominal ultrasonography in the diagnosis of prostatomegaly.

Transrectal fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) was performed in 100 cases of prostatomegaly detected by digital rectal examination (DRE). The cytologic findings were compared with histolgic findings of material obtained by transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) in 84 of the cases. In addition, pre-prostatectomy transabdominal ultrasonography was done in 55 of the cases and the findings were compared with cytologic and histologic diagnoses. The accuracy of diagnosis by FNAC for benign lesions and carcinoma of prostate was 98.33% and 81.81% respectively. The accuracy of transabdominal ultrasonography for benign lesions was 91.66% but that for carcinoma was only 38.46%. The technique of transrectal FNAC was found to be simple quick, economical and easy to repeat with high accuracy and was suitable for outpatients.

Acute myeloid leukemia in TAR syndrome.

TAR syndrome is a rare inherited autosomal recessive disorder with a mortality rate of 30-40% mainly as a result of haemorrhage, in the first year of life. Most of the infants recover from the effects of thrombocytopenia and associated haematological complications with the modern medical care. Very rarely, the outcome is fatal, with the occurrence of acute leukemias.

Bilirubin crystals in neutrophils in neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia.

Serum unconjugated bilirubin (UCB) levels > 205.2 mumol/L were present in 120 of 143 cases of neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia. Sixty-five per cent (78/120) cases showed bilirubin crystals in the neutrophils of Leishman's stained smears from EDTA blood. The proportion of crystal positive (CP) neutrophils was higher in septicaemia than in Haemolytic Disease of Newborn (HDN). Mortality rate was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in CP septicaemic cases when compared with those which were crystal negative (CN).