Spleen-left kidney ratio and liver-right kidney ratio: novel measures of normal liver, spleen, and kidney dimensions in Southwestern Nigerian children.

PURPOSE: Figures can sometimes be difficult to handle when considering whether the ultrasound dimensions of the liver, spleen, and kidneys of children are within normal limits in a typical clinical setting. Therefore, it is imperative to think of a simple measure that can be easily adopted when the question of whether these organs are enlarged or reduced in size is to be answered by a sonologist. We hypothesize that the liver-right kidney ratio and spleen-left kidney ratio are constant, regardless of age and sex among children, provided that the reference organ is not diseased. METHODS: This observational, cross-sectional study was carried out in public primary schools in the Ogbomoso metropolis. A total of 1000 apparently healthy children aged 5-13 were subjected to abdominal sonography from July 2016 to December 2016. The length of the liver, spleen, and both kidneys as well as the anthropometric parameters of each subject were obtained and correlated. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. RESULTS: The SPL:LKL (spleen to left kidney length) ratio varies with age, and this is statistically significant in female subjects (p = 0.042), but not in males (p = 0.360). The RLL:RKL (right lobe of the liver to right kidney length) ratio of 1.19 ± 0.18 does not significantly vary with age or sex (p = 0.337). CONCLUSION: The SPL:LKL ratio of 1.11 ± 0.18 can be only used as a measure of normality of organ dimensions in males. On the contrary, the RLL:RKL of 1.19 ± 0.18 can be used in all children, regardless of sex, provided that the reference organ is normal.

Cranial computerised tomographic assessment of cerebrovascular disease in Osogbo, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: cerebrovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Nigeria. Non-contrast computerized axial tomography (CT) is the routine imaging modality of choice for acute stroke evaluation, because it is widely accessible, convenient, has a short imaging time, and is sensitive for detection of haemorrhage. OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the pattern of stroke by computerised tomography (CT) and to relate the clinical diagnosis of stroke to the radiological features. METHODS: a retrospective study of 86 patients with suspected stroke who had CT of the brain from October 2005 to December 2008 were studied. The type and location of the stroke were documented and correlated with the age and sex. RESULTS: Sixty-five (75.6%) out of the 86 patients had CVD. Normal study was noted in 7(8.12%) patients and 14(16.3%) patients had other intracranial conditions wrongly diagnosed clinically as stroke. Ischaemic CVD was the most common [43(66.2%)], haemorrhagic CVD [21(32.3%)] and combined ischaemic and haemorrhagic, one(1.5%). Most [26(60.5%)] of the ischaemic stroke lesions were localized to the region of the middle and anterior cerebral arteries. There were no differences based on gender in the distribution of stroke pattern within the brain or the type of cerebrovascular disease. CONCLUSION: ischaemic CVD is the most common stroke. The rate of misdiagnosis of stroke is high in the Osogbo environment.

Cervical disc herniation and Brown-Sequard syndrome: a case report.

Brown-Sequard syndrome caused by herniated cervical disc is relatively rare. We report a 45 year old female patient who presented with weakness of the right extremities and absent pain and temperature sensation on the left below the C4 dermatome. CT myelogram revealed disc herniation between C3/C4, C4/C5 and C5/C6 disc spaces but was worst at C4/C5 with anterior cord compression and evidence of posterior osteophytes on the C5 and C6 cervical vertebrae. Patient responded well to symptomatic and supportive therapy including physiotherapy. She declined surgical intervention which is usually recommended in discogenic Brown-Sequard syndrome.

The appearances of benign breast diseases on ultrasound.

BACKGROUND: Benign breast diseases are common and Ultrasound is a very useful tool in examining benign breast diseases especially in distinguishing solid from cystic masses. This study aims to determine the sonographic pattern of benign breast diseases in a Nigerian population and to compare this pattern with that which has been previously reported in other environments. METHODS: This a prospective study of Ninety-four patients with breast disease scanned between 1997 and 2001 on request from the breast clinic of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife. A total of forty-four patients with histologicaly confirmed benign breast diseases were selected for this study. Their ultrasonographic features were evaluated and compared with those previously described. RESULT: Fibroadenoma was the commonest disease, occurring in 62.2% of the patients, with a mean age of 29.1 years, an age higher than that previously reported. Other diseases which were expected to occur commonly (breast abscess, cyst) were rarely seen. CONCLUSION: While it was discovered that the sonographic pattern of most of the diseases in this study conformed to that already described in literature despite late presentation, only one sonographic appearance of galactocele, out of the three reported, was noted in this study. In addition, despite the nonspecificity of ultrasound appearances in fibrocystic disease, an attempt has been made to match these appearances with the different histological types already described in literature.