Communicating oesophageal duplication.

Oesophageal duplications are rare congenital abnormalities. Most of them do not communicate with the oesophageal lumen. We present a very uncommon finding of communicating oesophageal duplication in which the connection between the oesophagus and its duplicate portion was demonstrated by CT.

Cystosarcoma phyllodes: report of two cases.

Cystosarcoma phyllodes is a rare predominantly benign tumour usually affecting the female breast. In a retrospective review of giant breast masses seen over a period of 20 years, we encountered two cases of this tumour, one benign and the other malignant, the latter exhibiting the very unusual feature of axially lymph node metastases. We present these two cases and briefly review the literature.

Giant fat containing breast masses: report of six cases.

Six patients with giant fat containing breast masses encountered over a 20 year period are presented including a brief review of the literature. These benign tumours especially the giant varieties are rare but are likely to be increasingly diagnosed because of the widespread use of mammography.

Radiological appearances of sinonasal abnormalities.

The aim of this pictorial review is to present a variety of abnormalities of the sinonasal cavities to emphasize the diversity of lesions occurring in this region. These include congenital, neoplastic and granulomatous disorders and some allergic and inflammatory lesions with uncommon radiological appearances, as well as expanding lesions of the facial bones or of dental origin with secondary involvement of the related sinus(es).

The imaging appearances of hydatid disease at some unusual sites.

On reviewing our cases of hydatid disease seen over a period of 20 years (1978-1998), we encountered a number of unusual radiological appearances and sites, which are demonstrated in this pictorial review. We briefly discuss the pathology of hydatid disease and its complications.

Percutaneous catheter drainage in drug-resistant amoebic liver abscess.

This communication records our experience with the percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) of 22 amoebic liver abscesses in 19 patients who had failed to respond to amoebicidal therapy. In one patient with a left lobe abscess, imminent rupture was an additional indication for drainage. PCD combined with amoebicidal therapy not only expedited recovery, but was curative in all 19 patients. There were no complications. We conclude that PCD is a most useful adjunct to drug therapy and recommend its routine use in the management of drug-resistant amoebic liver abscesses.

Spontaneous rupture of the renal pelvis.

The object of the case report is to present a case of spontaneous rupture of the renal pelvis with no underlying pathological condition to account for the rupture, a very rare and unusual occurrence. The patient was a 46-year-old Korean who presented with severe left loin pain and vomiting. The diagnosis was suspected on intravenous urography and confirmed by CT. Treatment was by ureteral stenting. The patient made a complete recovery. The differential diagnosis of this condition is discussed and the literature is reviewed.

Percutaneous drainage of tuberculous iliopsoas abscesses under image guidance.

Most intra-abdominal and other types of fluid collections are now successfully drained percutaneously under image guidance. The utility of percutaneous drainage of tuberculous abscesses, especially those associated with osseous changes, is, however, less well established. Six patients with tuberculous iliopsoas abscesses were successfully managed by percutaneous drainage combined with antituberculous therapy. The abscesses were bilateral in one patient and unilateral in the other five. Drainage was by needle aspiration under ultrasound (US) guidance in one patient, and by catheter under CT guidance in the other patients. Three patients had associated osseous changes. There were no procedural complications. Tuberculous iliopsoas abscess can be successfully treated by percutaneous drainage and appropriate antituberculous therapy.

Pulmonary tuberculosis presenting as mass lesions and simulating neoplasms in adults.

In a review of the chest X-rays and medical records of 597 cases of culture- or biopsy-proven pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB; age range 1.5-72 years), seen over a period of 6 years (1991-97), 26 patients had radiographic patterns unusual for PTB. These patterns were mass-like densities simulating neoplasms, chronic lower lobe airspace opacities without adenopathy, mediastinal adenopathy without parenchymal airspace opacities and bronchopleural fistula without other radiographic abnormalities. The most common of these unusual radiographic patterns was mass-like densities, most of which were initially and mistakenly diagnosed as neoplasms. These masses, seen in 11 adult patients, form the basis of this report. Two children aged 1.5 and 2 years also had tuberculous mass densities initially diagnosed as neurogenic tumour and round pneumonia, respectively. They have been excluded from the present series, and form the subject of another report. The masses were lower lobe predominant and were not usually associated with fibro-productive satellite lesions or with calcification or cavitation. In view of the recent resurgence of PTB and the importance of chest X-rays in its diagnosis and management, this rare radiographic pattern needs to be emphasized.

Primary pulmonary tuberculosis presenting as mass lesions and simulating tumours in children.

Two cases of primary pulmonary tuberculosis presenting as mass densities and simulating neoplasms in children are reported. This manifestation has not been previously reported in children. It probably represents an unusual immunological response to the mycobacterium.

Appearances of paranasal fungal sinusitis on computed tomography.

The primary invasive granulomatous form of fungal sinusitis, due to inhalation of aspergillus spores, is commonest in the Sudan and the Gulf states. This condition often presents clinically as a chronic, severe sinusitis which has not responded to antibiotics. On CT scanning, the major feature is a soft tissue mass, which is either homogeneous or has lower attenuation components. There may be erosion or expansion of the bony margins of the sinuses. Intraorbital and/or intracranial extension sometimes occur.

Extrarenal angiomyolipomas of the perinephric space in tuberose sclerosis.

A case of bilateral angiomyolipomas of the perinephric space in a young Arab woman with tuberose sclerosis is reported. Multiple small angiomyolipomata were present in both kidneys and there was pulmonary involvement. The literature on this very rare occurrence is briefly reviewed.

Urinary bladder perforation: an unusual complication of neonatal nasogastric tube feeding.

Nasogastric tube (NGT) feeding is an accepted method of feeding premature infants. This case report records an unusual and previously unreported complication of NGT feeding in a neonate.

Aspiration and sclerotherapy of symptomatic simple renal cysts: value of two injections of a sclerosing agent.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to determine whether two injections of sclerosant were more effective than a single injection in treating symptomatic simple renal cysts. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We reviewed our results obtained by simple aspiration, by aspiration and a single sclerosant injection, and by aspiration followed by two injections of sclerosing agent over 48 hr. We used 95% alcohol because of its capacity to safely sclerose the epithelial lining of renal cyst walls without damaging the renal parenchyma. After 1-3 min of contact with the alcohol, the epithelial cells lining the cyst become fixed and nonviable; the cyst capsule is penetrated only after 4-12 hr. Longer contact of alcohol with the epithelial cell lining should theoretically result in the nonviability of more epithelial cells and therefore in a lower recurrence rate of cysts after aspiration and sclerotherapy. Our subjects were 46 patients, 30 men and 16 women, treated over a 13-year period. They ranged in age from 38 to 75 years old (mean age, 47 years). Fifty-two cysts were treated. Twenty patients (20 cysts) had simple aspiration only, 15 patients (19 cysts) had a single injection of sclerosant after aspiration, and 11 patients (13 cysts) had two sclerosant injections after aspiration. RESULTS: Of the 20 patients who had simple aspiration only, 16 cysts had recurred after 2 years. In the single-injection group of patients, we found six recurrences after 2 years. No recurrence has occurred in the group of patients who had two sclerosant injections after aspiration. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the results of treating symptomatic simple renal cysts are better in terms of recurrence with two successive injections of 95% alcohol, probably because of the nonviability of more epithelial cells lining the cyst as a result of a longer period of contact with the alcohol. Our sonographic finding of pseudotumors at the sites of previously aspirated giant cysts in two patients is recorded.

Case report: a case of solitary Peutz-Jegher's hamartoma in the small bowel with angiographic evaluation.

A case of a solitary small bowel Peutz-Jegher's hamartoma in which angiography revealed the lesion to be vascular is presented. The findings suggest that not all Peutz-Jegher's hamartomas are hypovascular as previously reported and that this type of polyp may mimic other vascular lesions such as haemangiomas and leiomyomas.

Renal papillary necrosis in Kuwait.

In 2,158 consecutive routine urograms, 85 patients (51 males and 34 females) were found to have typical changes of renal papillary necrosis, an incidence of 3.9% (2.8% in males, 9.4% in females). The changes were bilateral in 60 patients (71.6%) and unilateral in 25 (29.4%). 3 patients were diabetics, 4 had sickle cell anaemia and 7 had obstructive uropathy. 19 patients admitted to analgesic abuse. The remaining 52 patients were idiopathic but a combination of analgesic abuse and dehydration may have been the cause in this group. The possible reasons for the high incidence of RPN especially in females in this hot desert environment are discussed. The literature on the subject is briefly reviewed.